SCH Number 2024081205

Project Info

Title

Mojave Life of Mine Reclamation Plan Amendment Project by CalPortland Company

Description

The proposed Mojave Life of Mine Reclamation Plan Amendment Project consists of reclamation activities within the approximately 4,367- acre project site located on 16 parcels, such as recontouring, stabilizing, revegetation, and monitoring of final slopes and disturbed mining areas; reclamation of roads and ancillary equipment and facilities; and removal of the processing and cement plant facilities. Although some reclamation activities are and would continue to be performed concurrent with ongoing mining and processing, reclamation activities for final site reclamation would occur after the completion of mining and processing operations. On March 15, 2021, Kern County determined that mining and processing activities are a legal nonconforming (vested) use on approximately 6,658 acres of land owned by the project proponent, inclusive of the approximately 4,367 acres covered by the proposed project. As such, vested and continuing mining activities such as drilling, blasting, material recovery, material movement (with the exception of material movement pertaining to reclamation, e.g. redistribution of stockpiled growth media to aid in revegetation efforts), processing, cement production, and material transport for sale are not subject to discretionary approval by Kern County and are not part of the proposed project. The project proponent proposes to continue to develop its limestone and construction materials resources within the existing vested properties and to increase the life of the mine by approximately 200 years to continue cement and construction materials production. The proposed project would not involve changes to the existing vested mining operations including, for example, production levels, mining systems or processes, and ultimate throughput from the cement plant. Reclamation of continued operations would require the County’s approval of the proposed project which would amend the existing 1979 reclamation plan through approval of a reclamation plan applicable to approximately 4,367 acres of the vested properties. The proposed reclamation plan encompasses the approximately 1,542 acres currently subject to the 1979 reclamation plan and would add an additional approximately 2,825 acres to the reclamation plan boundary for a total of approximately 4,367 acres.

2 documents in project