HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 Mining Inspection Billing Invoice_Blue Lead Mine.pdfButte County Department of Development Services
TIM SNELLINGS, DIRECTOR | PETE CALARCO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
7 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
(530) 538-7601 Office
(530) 538-7785 Fax
www.buttecounty.net
www.buttegeneralplan.net
FEES AND BILLING PROCEDURES FOR MINING OPERATIONS SUBJECT TO THE
SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION ACT (SMARA)
The Department of Development Services has prepared the following information on required fees and
procedures for billing of annual inspections and financial assurance reviews in Butte County subject to
the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and Chapter 13, Article II, Surface Mining and Reclamation, of
Butte County Code. This implements the current Master Fee Schedule adopted by the Board of
Supervisors (Resolution No. 12‐127).
A. Active and Idle Mining Operations
Active and Idle Mining Operations are mines that have an approved/valid Reclamation Plan, a
vested right to mine, and have initiated mining operations.
$2,923.41 (Minimum Fee – Non‐Refundable) – Time is charged at a Planning Division hourly
rate of $171.97/hour and an annual minimum fee of $2,923.41.1 The minimum fee includes up
to 17 hours of staff work performing the following tasks: Department of Development Services
Tasks:
Annual Inspections/Inspection Reports (Minimum of one inspection. Multiple
inspections, if necessary);
Financial Assurance Cost Estimate Reviews;
Financial Assurance Mechanism Updates;
Annual Mining Operation Report Review;
Interim Management Plan Review/Updates;
Code Enforcement/Notice of Violations;
Additional correspondence with operator and State is anticipated; and
Review on‐going reclamation of the mine.
Should more than the 17 hours be required, the mining operator will be invoiced for an
additional retainer payment adequate to complete the required tasks. Any balance from the
subsequent retainer remaining after the annual work is complete, may be applied as a credit
toward outstanding fees or the following year’s inspection fees.
In general, an Active or Idle Mining Operation will require more oversight then a Newly
Permitted Mining Operation or Mine Not Yet in Operation.
1 The Planning Division hourly rate is established as follows: $163.00/hour ($2,771.00), plus an additional 5.5%
($152.41)(including a 4.5% General Plan Maintenance Fee ($124.70) and 1.5% Technology Investment Fee
($27.71)), for a total hourly charge of $171.97/hour.
With this in mind, Development Services is willing to utilize the Miscellaneous Fee category of
the fee schedule and Newly Permitted Mines/Not Yet in Operation – may pay a retainer as
described below.
B. Newly Permitted Mining Operations and Mines Not Yet in Operation
Newly Permitted Mining Operations and Mines Not Yet in Operation have an approved/valid
Reclamation Plan and a vested right to mine, but have not yet initiated mining operations.
$1461.71 (Initial Retainer Fee) – Time is charged against the initial retainer at the Planning
Division hourly rate of $171.97/hour.2 The initial retainer includes up to 8.5 hours of staff work
performing the following tasks:
Department of Development Services Tasks:
Annual Inspections/Inspection Reports (Only one inspection is anticipated);
Financial Assurance Cost Estimate Review (if necessary);
Financial Assurance Mechanism Update (if necessary); and
Annual Mining Operation Report Review
Should more than the 8.5 hours be required, the mining operator will be invoiced for an
additional $1,461.71 retainer amount. Any balance of either the initial retainer or subsequent
retainers remaining after the work is complete, may be applied as a credit toward the following
year’s inspection fees.
C. Activating a Newly Permitted Mining Operation or Mine Not Yet in Operation
$1461.71 (Additional Deposit towards Minimum Fee) – Payment is due with Notice of Intent
to Begin Mining Operations.
Prior to a newly permitted mine or mine not yet in operation becoming active during the year,
the operator will first need to perform the following:
Inform the County in writing of the intent to begin mining operations;
The Notice of Intent payment of an additional 8.5 hours ($1,461.70), combined with the
initial retainer paid in January for the newly permitted mining operations or mine not
yet in operation under section B., above, are combined to become a $2,923.41
Minimum Fee;
Submit and obtain approval of an updated Financial Assurance Cost Estimate and
Financial Assurance Mechanism;
Upon activation, annual mine fees will be collected as provided in Section A, Active and Idle
Mining Operations.
If you have any questions regarding fees required for Mining Operations in Butte County, please contact
SMARA Program Manager Rowland Hickel at (530) 538‐7150 or rhickel@buttecounty.net.
2 The initial retainer is established as follows: the Planning Division hourly rate is $163.00/hour ($1,385.50), plus an
additional 5.5% ($76.21) (including a 4.5% General Plan Maintenance Fee ($62.35) and 1.5% Technology
Investment Fee ($13.86), for a total hourly charge of $171.97/hour.