2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 517 - Mining and Mining Claims
Section 517.952 - Definitions for ORS 517.952 to 517.989.


(1) "Affected agency" includes permitting agencies, cooperating agencies and commenting agencies.
(2) "Baseline data" means information gathered to characterize the natural and cultural environments of a mining operation site before a mining operation begins.
(3) "Commenting agency" means any agency that makes recommendations to the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries or to a permitting agency regarding permit conditions or whether to approve or deny a permit under the consolidated application process established under ORS 517.952 to 517.989.
(4) "Consolidated application" means the single application required under ORS 517.971.
(5) "Environmental evaluation" means an analysis prepared under ORS 517.979 to address specific impacts of the mining operation to allow affected agencies to develop permit conditions.
(6) "Gravity separation" means the separation of mineral particles, with the aid of water or air, according to the differences in the specific gravities of the particles.
(7) "Mining operation" means a surface or underground mine that processes, produces or reclaims metal ore using a method other than, or in addition to, gravity separation to process the ore.
(8) "Mitigation" means the reduction of adverse effects of a proposed mining operation by considering, in the following order:
(a) Avoiding the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action;
(b) Minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation;
(c) Rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating or restoring the affected environment;
(d) Reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance operations during the life of the action by monitoring and taking appropriate corrective measures; or
(e) Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing comparable substitute resources or environments.
(9) "Permitting agency" means an agency that has a separate permitting authority for a mining operation.
(10) "Project coordinating committee" means the interagency governmental committee established in accordance with ORS 517.965.
(11) "Technical review team" means the interagency group established in accordance with ORS 517.967. [1991 c.735 §3; 2013 c.371 §6; 2017 c.736 §7]

Structure 2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

Volume : 14 - Drugs and Alcohol, Fire Protection, Natural Resources

Chapter 517 - Mining and Mining Claims

Section 517.005 - Legislative findings.

Section 517.010 - Location of mining claims upon veins or lodes.

Section 517.044 - Location of claims upon placer deposits; posting notice.

Section 517.046 - Marking boundaries of claim or locating by legal subdivisions.

Section 517.065 - Effect of noncompliance with law in locating claim.

Section 517.120 - Definitions for ORS 517.120 to 517.133.

Section 517.123 - Legislative findings.

Section 517.125 - Rules to be adopted in consultation with affected parties.

Section 517.128 - Restricting access to open mining area or mining claim prohibited.

Section 517.130 - Mineral trespass.

Section 517.133 - Interfering with a mining operation.

Section 517.135 - Exemption from crimes of mineral trespass and interfering with a mining operation.

Section 517.140 - Legislative findings; mining using motorized equipment in beds and banks of rivers.

Section 517.160 - Location of nonmineral land as millsite; notice; fee.

Section 517.180 - Procedure for extinguishing dormant mineral interest.

Section 517.210 - Recording affidavit of annual compliance.

Section 517.300 - Effect of certificate; certified copy of certificate, notice and return admissible as evidence.

Section 517.430 - Use of timber by lessee.

Section 517.702 - Legislative findings.

Section 517.705 - Exploration permit; application; information required; fees; confidentiality of production records, mineral assessments or trade secrets.

Section 517.710 - Fees.

Section 517.715 - Exemptions from permit requirement.

Section 517.725 - Department inspection of exploration site.

Section 517.730 - Drill hole or well abandonment; rules.

Section 517.750 - Definitions for ORS 517.702 to 517.989.

Section 517.753 - Exclusion certificate required for certain small-scale surface mining operations; application; fees.

Section 517.755 - Mining operations affecting more than five acres.

Section 517.760 - Policy.

Section 517.770 - Exemptions from reclamation requirements.

Section 517.775 - Permit fee for certain landowners and operators; erosion stabilization at mining operations exempt from reclamation.

Section 517.780 - Effect on county zoning laws or ordinances; rules; certain operations exempt.

Section 517.790 - Operating permit required for surface mining on certain lands; application for permit; proposed reclamation plans; waiver of requirement for preparation and approval of reclamation plan; refusal to issue operating permit; provisiona...

Section 517.795 - Department to consult with and cooperate with other agencies.

Section 517.797 - Memorandum of agreement with Department of State Lands regarding permitting.

Section 517.800 - Fees; rules; annual report.

Section 517.810 - Requirement for bond or security; rules; other security in lieu of bond.

Section 517.813 - Reclamation Guarantee Fund.

Section 517.815 - Reclamation bond pooling program; requirements; rules.

Section 517.820 - Extensions of time for submission of proposed reclamation plans; time limit for reclamation completion; consultation with cooperating agencies.

Section 517.825 - Mining aggregate on high-value farmland; requirements; rules.

Section 517.830 - Operating permit approval process; appeal from denial of plan; consolidated application process.

Section 517.831 - Modification of operating permit or reclamation plan; opportunity for alternative dispute resolution.

Section 517.832 - Emergency operating permit; rules.

Section 517.833 - Transfer of operating permit; rules.

Section 517.834 - Temporary operating permit; rules.

Section 517.835 - Conditions on operating permit or reclamation plan to prevent impact on ground water.

Section 517.836 - Surveying or marking surface mining operations; rules.

Section 517.840 - Administration and enforcement of ORS 517.702 to 517.989; rules.

Section 517.855 - Disruption of portion of mining property preserved from mining.

Section 517.860 - Effect of failure to comply with operating permit or reclamation plan; department may perform work and assess costs against bond or security.

Section 517.862 - Revocation, termination or refusal to renew operating permit.

Section 517.865 - Effect of failure to perform reclamation and insufficient bond; lien; notice; priority; foreclosure.

Section 517.880 - Order for suspension of surface mining operation operating without required permit; enjoining operation upon failure of operator to comply; completion of reclamation by department.

Section 517.905 - Applicability of ORS 517.910 to 517.989 and 517.910 to 517.951.

Section 517.910 - Definitions for ORS 517.910 to 517.989.

Section 517.915 - Additional operating permit requirements for nonaggregate mineral mines; denial of permit if reclamation not possible.

Section 517.951 - Legislative intent not to assume exclusive jurisdiction.

Section 517.952 - Definitions for ORS 517.952 to 517.989.

Section 517.956 - Requirements for mining operations; rules.

Section 517.959 - Public notice requirements for ORS 517.952 to 517.989; master list of interested parties; fees.

Section 517.963 - Department duties upon receipt of notice of intent.

Section 517.965 - Project coordinating committee.

Section 517.967 - Technical review team.

Section 517.969 - Collection of baseline data; public informational meetings; collection methodology.

Section 517.971 - Consolidated application.

Section 517.973 - Fees; payment of expenses of department and permitting and cooperating agencies.

Section 517.975 - Distribution of completed consolidated application; notice of receipt of application.

Section 517.977 - Preparation of draft permits; public hearing; determination of completeness of consolidated application.

Section 517.978 - Review of application; additional information.

Section 517.979 - Environmental evaluation; review of baseline data; payment of costs of third party contractor.

Section 517.981 - Draft permit and permit conditions; denial of permit; time limits; public hearing on draft permit.

Section 517.982 - Final permits; permit conditions submitted by cooperating agencies.

Section 517.983 - Consolidated contested case hearing; judicial review; stay of permit.

Section 517.984 - Modification of permit; project coordinating committee.

Section 517.985 - Rulemaking.

Section 517.987 - Reclamation bond or security; annual assessment of cost of reclamation; lien; release of security; post-reclamation security.

Section 517.988 - Permit conditions by State Department of Fish and Wildlife; violations of State Department of Fish and Wildlife conditions.

Section 517.989 - Rules applicable to consolidated application.

Section 517.990 - Criminal penalties.

Section 517.992 - Civil penalties; rules.