Title PRC — California Pub. Res. Code

As used in this chapter, “department” means the Department of Conservation and “director” means the Director of Conservation.

There is in the Resources Agency the Department of Conservation. The department shall be conducted under the control of an executive officer known as the Director of Conservation. The director shall be appointed by and hold office at the pleasure of the Governor and shall receive…

The department succeeds to and is vested with all of the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction vested in the Department of Natural Resources or the Director of Natural Resources and exercised by the following divisions of the Department of Natural Resources…

The director is hereby vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the State Geologist as Chief of the California Geological Survey of the department. The director may appoint an assistant or deputy director to exercise any powers and dutie…

The department may expend the money in any appropriation or in any special fund in the State Treasury made available by law for the administration of the statutes the administration of which is committed to the department, or for the use, support, or maintenance of any board, bur…

The department shall have possession and control of all records, books, papers, offices, equipment, supplies, moneys, funds, appropriations, land and other property, real or personal, held for the benefit or use of all bodies, offices, and officers whose duties, powers, and funct…

The provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11150), Part 1, Division 3, Title 2 of the Government Code apply to the director. The director may appoint, in accordance with civil service, such deputies, officers, and other employees as may be necessary.

The work of the department shall be divided into at least the following: (a) California Geological Survey. (b) (1) Geologic Energy Management Division. (2) Any reference in any law or regulation to the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources in the Department of Conservati…

The director, with approval of the Director of Finance, may accept on behalf of the various divisions of the department federal grants for the purposes for which the department is established. Such grants shall be deposited in the Special Deposit Fund in the State Treasury provid…

Whenever the department has received and deposited any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the General Fund in an excessive amount or in error, or whenever a refund of all or a portion of such money is due any person, firm, or corporation because of the termination of an…

For the purpose of disseminating information relating to its activities, powers, duties, or functions, the department may issue publications, construct and maintain exhibits, and perform acts and carry on functions, as in the opinion of the director, will best tend to disseminate…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code or of law and except as provided in the State Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, on and after January 1, 1980, the department, director, the State Geologis…

The department shall prepare, update, and maintain Important Farmland Series maps as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 65560 of the Government Code and other soils and land capability information, and prepare and maintain an automated map and data base system to record and re…

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: (1) It is in the state’s public interest to have an accurate inventory of the state’s soil resources. (2) In California, the United States Soil Conservation Service has been responsible for undertaking soil surve…

The department, through the California Resources Information System and as budgetary resources permit, may provide informational assistance to local agencies in the development of geobased natural resource information systems. In addition, the department may assist local agencies…

The department may do any of the following: (a) Advise a city, county, city and county, special district, including a resource conservation district, state agency, federal agency, tribal agency, and the general public on issues of conservation importance, including, but not limit…

Grants administered by the department, including, but not limited to, those awarded pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9001), Division 10.2 (commencing with Section 10200), and Division 12.1 (commencing with Section 14500), are not subject to the State Contract Act (…

Upon an appropriation by the Legislature, or as other funds become available and are appropriated for these purposes, the department may provide grants and other forms of local assistance to resource conservation districts.

There is in the department a State Mining and Geology Board consisting of nine members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

As used in this article, “board” means the State Mining and Geology Board and “division” means the California Geological Survey of the department.

(a) One member of the board shall be a professional geologist with background and experience in mining geology; one member shall be a mining engineer with background and experience in mining minerals in California; one member shall have background and experience in groundwater hy…

(a) No member of the board shall participate in any action of the board or attempt to influence any decision of the board that involves himself or herself, or any person with whom he or she is connected, as a director, officer, paid consultant, or full-time or part-time employee,…

(a) For the purposes of this section, “ex parte communication” means any oral or written communication between a member of the board and an interested person about a matter within the board’s jurisdiction that does not occur in a public hearing, workshop, or other official procee…

(a) No board member shall make, participate in making, or in any other way attempt to use his or her official position to influence a board decision about which the member has knowingly had an ex parte communication that has not been reported pursuant to Section 663.1. (b) In add…

Each member of the board shall hold office for four years. Vacancies shall be immediately filled by the Governor.

Each member of the board shall receive one hundred dollars ($100) for each day during which the member is engaged in the performance of official duties. The compensation of each member, except the compensation of the chair, shall not, however, exceed in any one fiscal year the su…

The board shall maintain its headquarters in Sacramento and shall hold meetings at such times and at such places as shall be determined by it. Five members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting any business of the board. A majority affirmative vote…

The Governor shall designate the chair of the board from among the members of the board. The person designated as the chair shall hold the office at the pleasure of the Governor. The board shall annually elect a vice chair from among its members.

The board may appoint an executive officer who shall be exempt from civil service. The board may also employ the clerical assistance necessary for the proper discharge of its duties. Neither the board nor its employees shall have or be given any powers in relation to the administ…

The director shall have no power to amend or repeal any order, ruling, or directive of the board.

The board shall represent the state’s interest in the development, utilization, and conservation of the mineral resources of the state and the reclamation of mined lands, as provided by law, and federal matters pertaining to mining, and shall determine, establish, and maintain an…

The board shall also serve as a policy and appeals board for the purposes of Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 2621) of Division 2.

The board may provide for a statewide program of research regarding the technical phases of reclaiming mined lands which may be delegated to it by law and may accept funds from the United States or from any person to aid in carrying out the provisions of this section. The board m…

The board shall provide for a public information program on matters involving the state’s terrain, mineral resources, mining, the reclamation of mined lands, and the seismological and geological aspects of earthquakes and other geological hazards.

The board shall nominate, and the director shall appoint, the State Geologist, who shall either be registered in compliance with the Geologist and Geophysicist Act (Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 7800) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code) at least one year f…

The director may authorize the State Geologist to exercise his power to appoint employees of the division in accordance with the State Civil Service Act. The director may authorize the State Geologist, or any employee of the division, to exercise any power granted to, or perform …

The Geologic Energy Management Division shall be in charge of a chief, known as the State Oil and Gas Supervisor.