(1) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that:

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(a) It is the policy of the State of Oregon to recognize the important and essential contribution that the extraction of minerals makes to the economic well-being of the state and the nation and to prevent unacceptable adverse impacts to environmental, scenic, recreational, social, archaeological and historic resources of the state that may result from mining operations, while permitting operations that comply with the provisions set forth in ORS § 517.702 to 517.951.

(b) Proper reclamation of surface-mined lands is necessary to prevent undesirable land and water conditions that would be detrimental to the general welfare, health, safety and property rights of the citizens of this state.

(c) Surface mining takes place in diverse areas where the geologic, topographic, climatic, biological and social conditions are significantly different and that reclamation operations and the specifications therefor must vary accordingly.

(d) It is not practical to extract minerals required by our society without disturbing the surface of the earth and producing waste materials and that the very character of many types of surface mining operations precludes complete restoration of the affected lands to their original condition.

(e) Reclamation of surface-mined lands as provided by ORS § 517.702 to 517.951 will allow the mining of valuable minerals in a manner designed for the protection and subsequent beneficial use of the mined and reclaimed lands.

(2) The Legislative Assembly, therefore, declares that the purposes of ORS § 517.702 to 517.951 are:

(a) To provide that the usefulness, productivity and scenic values of all lands and water resources affected by surface mining operations within this state shall receive the greatest practical degree of protection and reclamation necessary for their intended subsequent use.

(b) To provide for cooperation between private and governmental entities in carrying out the purposes of ORS § 517.702 to 517.951 and reclamation of abandoned mined lands that may pose a hazard to public health, safety or the environment. [1971 c.719 § 1; 1985 c.292 § 4; 1993 c.342 § 1]