San Andreas, CA — Noting that mining dates back to the Gold Rush in the 1850s, the Calaveras County Grand Jury released a new report, entitled “Are we running out of rock?”
It is the first in a series of reports to be released by the Civil Grand Jury.
It notes that today, the local mines primarily produce sand, gravel, and aggregate materials that are used in the construction of homes, businesses, and infrastructure projects. The Grand Jury looked into how the county has addressed mining-related concerns in recent years.
It focuses on three areas of interest: the administration of surface mining operations in compliance with California’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975, mineral resource management, and abandoned mines.
Among the Civil Grand Jury’s findings:
· Calaveras County’s Planning Department does not regularly report surface mine inspection results to the Board of Supervisors, which as the lead agency under SMARA has ultimate authority over the operation of mining in Calaveras, including the issuing of financial penalties for violations.
· The Planning Department charges surface mining operators a flat fee for annual inspections that has not increased in years, meaning the County has not been compensated for the actual time and material costs of inspections.
· The County has not conducted a thorough review of its existing permitted supply of sand, gravel, and aggregate, which could impact the future availability of these minerals as the County’s population and development needs increase.
· The County does not maintain a current map of abandoned mines within its jurisdiction, despite hundreds of these potentially hazardous sites located throughout Calaveras.
The Grand Jury notes that the recommendations are designed to improve mining administration and mineral resource management to ensure Calaveras County can fulfill its mineral needs for years to come.
Click here to view the full report.
The Superior Court of Calaveras County annually appoints 19 county residents as Civil Grand Jurors to serve as citizen watchdogs over local government.
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