This week, RCRC Chair Lee Adams (Sierra County) testified on two bills in the opening session of the state Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. Senate Bill 198 by Senator Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) would repeal the State Responsibility Area (SRA) Fee, and Senate Bill 209 by Committee Chair Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) is a bill that would make changes to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA).
Supervisor Adams testified in support of repealing the SRA Fee, and in opposition unless amendments were taken to SB 209. Supervisor Adams committed that RCRC would continue working with the author’s office to reach consensus on SB 209. SB 198 did not pass out of Committee, while SB 209 moves onto the Senate Appropriations Committee. Additionally, the Brown Administration is also looking to address SMARA during this legislative year, and it is not yet clear how SB 209 and other SMARA-related legislation will coincide with the Administration effort.