After multiple complaints from local mine operators, the County of Amador is set to terminate its contract with Resource Design Technologies Incorporated, the agency who performs annual surface mine inspections in accordance with the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, or SMARA. Amador County contracted with Resource Design three years ago to perform the surface inspections and reporting to the State for the 26 active or idle mines in Amador County. Prior to that, the county contracted locally to perform inspections, but became unable to manage State reporting requirements as laws regulating mining reclamation activity have become much more stringent in the last three years. Recently, the County Planning Department has reportedly received numerous complaints from local mine managers regarding the quality of Resource Design’s work.

Complaints primarily centered around the issue of a low quality of work performed during inspections and “sloppy reporting” at a considerable cost to the mining companies. According to one local mine manager, at the end of this year’s reporting period, he received a phone call from the State Mining and Geology Board pointing out numerous errors on his mine’s surface inspection report. He was able to correct the errors, but his faith in Resource Design was shaken. The County is looking into a contract with a new inspection firm, Pacific Municipal Consultants, or PMC. According to County Planner Nathan Lishman, the County hopes to contract with PMC for two years for a cost of $47,000 per year. After the two year period which will include training with PMC, the County Planning Department will look into performing its own inspections and reporting which will save local mining operators a considerable cost and will also, according to Lishman, serve to help circulate revenue within the County.