California Department of Conservation

09/19/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2025 19:01

Join the California Good Samaritan Abandoned Mine Lands Forum September 29th

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The Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) community has waited decades for Good Samaritan and it has finally arrived!

After years of anticipation, USEPA's Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Program will pilot issuing 15 permits to provide liability protections to third parties who clean up abandoned mines. This is a major step forward for environmental restoration efforts across the country. To support the development of projects in California, the Department of Conservation (DOC) will host a virtual forum to provide information about the program and foster collaboration among potential partners.

This forum will bring together a diverse range of participants - including landowners and land managers, potential funders, regulators, environmental and community organizations, and others - to explore opportunities for cooperation and project development.

We want and value your input! Please come prepared to share ideas and join discussions on potential projects.

Talk Topics​​​​

  • ​Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Program and project eligibility from USEPA
  • Example projects completed by 3rd parties from Trout Unlimited
  • Status of research California Geological Survey (CGS) is conducting to identify critical minerals in mining waste
  • Interest in projects and partnerships from industry

To Join:


Please send an email to [email protected] and follow this Survey Link​ to support our planning of a productive event.

Educational Material

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California Department of Conservation published this content on September 19, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 19, 2025 at 01:01 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]