The legislature recognizes that the extraction of minerals through surface mining has historically included regulatory involvement by both state and local governments.

It is the intent of the legislature to clarify that surface mining is an appropriate land use, subject to reclamation authority exercised by the department of natural resources and land use and operation regulatory authority by counties, cities, and towns.

Captions—Severability—Effective date—1993 c 518: See notes following RCW 78.44.010.