(a) The oversight agency may approve the remediation plan if the oversight agency finds that there is substantial evidence in the record that the plan will substantially improve water quality affected by abandoned mine waste.

(b) The oversight agency may approve a remediation plan for a project that the remediating agency implemented prior to January 1, 1996, if that oversight agency finds that there is substantial evidence in the record that the project has substantially improved water quality adversely impacted by mining activities on the abandoned mined lands undertaken before the project was implemented.

(c) The remediating agency is not required to include in the remediation plan a plan to achieve water quality objectives, with regard to any discharge of abandoned mine waste that is the subject of the plan, to comply with other requirements of this division, except for Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 13370), or to comply with any other law that is administered by the state board or the regional boards, with regard to that discharge.

(d) The oversight agency may approve a modification of an approved remediation plan to permit additional time for completing the remediation project or to otherwise modify the plan, after an opportunity for public comment.

(e) If the oversight agency determines that a remediating agency is not implementing the approved remediation plan in substantial compliance with its terms, that oversight agency shall notify the remediating agency of its determination, including the specific causes for that determination.

(f) If the oversight agency determines that the specific causes for the determination are not adequately addressed pursuant to subdivision (e), or if a compliance plan is not submitted to, and approved by, the oversight agency within 180 days from the date of the notification pursuant to subdivision (e), the oversight agency may determine that the remediating agency is in violation of this chapter. A remediating agency that is in violation of this chapter is not protected by the limitations on responsibility for remediation of abandoned mined lands provided by this chapter and may be subject to any enforcement action authorized by law.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 878, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)