Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions govern the construction of this chapter:

(a) “Abandoned mine waste” means the residual of soil, rock, mineral, liquid, vegetation, equipment, machines, tools, or other materials or property on, or discharging from, abandoned mined lands, directly resulting from, or displaced by, surface mining operations.

(b) “Abandoned mined lands” has the same meaning as “abandoned surface mined area,” as defined in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 2796 of the Public Resources Code.

(c) “Acid rock drainage” means acid waste discharge that results from the oxidation of metal sulfide in minerals associated with mined lands.

(d) “Mined lands” has the same meaning as set forth in Section 2729 of the Public Resources Code.

(e) “Oversight agency” means either the state board or a regional board. If the remediating agency is a regional board, the state board shall be the oversight agency. If the remediating agency is the state board, the oversight agency shall be the Site Designation Committee established pursuant to Section 25261 of the Health and Safety Code. The committee shall have the powers and functions specified in Chapter 6.65 (commencing with Section 25260) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, except that neither the chairperson of the state board, nor any designee, shall participate in the actions of the committee relating to the state board as a remediating agency.

(f) “Remediating agency” or “agency” means any public agency, or any private individual or entity acting under a cooperative agreement with a public agency, that prepares and submits a remediation plan in accordance with this chapter. “Remediating agency” includes, but is not limited to, a public agency that holds title to abandoned mined lands for the purpose of remediating those lands or that is engaging in remediation activities that are incidental to the ownership of the lands for other than mining purposes. “Remediating agency” does not include any person or entity that is not a public agency, that, before implementing an approved remediation plan, owns or has owned a property interest, other than a security interest, in the abandoned mined lands being remediated, or is or has been legally responsible for, or had a direct financial interest in, or participated in, any mining operation, including exploration, associated with the abandoned mined lands being remediated.

(g) “Remediation plan” means a plan to improve the quality of the waters of the state that have been directly and adversely impacted by abandoned mine waste.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 727, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2001.)