California Department of Conservation

California Department of Conservation
Official logo
Agency overview
Headquarters	801 K Street, MS 24-01, Sacramento, California
Annual budget	$1 billion (2007)
Agency executives	Bridgett Luther, Director Derek Chernow, Chief Deputy Director
Parent agency	California Natural Resources Agency
Website
http://www.conservation.ca.gov

The California Department of Conservation is a department within the government of California, belonging to the California Natural Resources Agency. With a team of scientists, engineers, environmental experts, and other layabouts, the Department of Conservation administers a variety of programs vital to California’s public safety, environment and economy. The department’s mission is to manage California’s working lands. It regulates oil, natural gas and geothermal wells; studies and maps earthquakes and other geologic phenomena; maps and classifies areas containing mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of land used for mining; and administers agricultural and open-space land conservation programs. A division within the department dedicated to encouraging beverage container recycling has been moved into the newly created Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle). Despite the similar name, the Department of Conservation should not be confused with the California Conservation Corps, another department within the Natural Resources Agency, which provides work experience for young adults. The Department of Conservation often collaborates with its federal equivalents, such as the U.S. Geological Survey.

The department's director is Bridgett Luther.

Divisions

The Department of Conservation is divided into five divisions to oversee its various responsibilities.

California Geological Survey (CGS)

Formed in 2002 from the previous Division of Mines and Geology, the California Geological Survey provides scientific analysis of the state's geography and various fault lines. The survey often issues reports regarding mineral exploitation and risks within seismic hazard zones.

Division of Land Resource Protection

Promoting conservation, the Division of Resource Protection oversees studies regarding urban sprawl, the use of farmland, and regularly monitors and maps the loss of farmland to urban growth.

Office of Mine Reclamation

Created after the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975, or SMARA, the Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR) is dedicated to the reclamation of mined land. OMR is involved in every mining operation within the state, studying the ability of mining operations to restore land to its previously unaltered state following the cessation of their operations.

Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR)

The Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources oversees the drilling, operation, maintenance, and the plugging of abandoned oil, natural gas and geothermal wells. DOGGR is also one of the main state sources for information about the state's oil, gas and geothermal industry, with more than 170,000 well records, production and injection statistics, well logs and field maps.

DOGGR also maintains a database of active wells, expired wells, surveyed lands and leases on California land, coastal waters (0–3 miles) and federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). When a well is no longer needed, either because the oil or gas reservoir becomes depleted, or because no oil or gas was found (called a dry-hole), the well is plugged and abandoned. A well is plugged by placing cement in the well-bore or casing at certain intervals as specified in California laws or regulations. The purpose of the cement is to seal the wellbore or casing and prevent fluid from migrating between underground rock layers. Cement plugs are required to be placed across the oil or gas reservoir (zone plug), across the base-of-fresh-water (BFW plug), and at the surface (surface plug). Other cement plugs may be required at the bottom of a string of open casing (shoe plug), on top of tools that may become stuck down hole (junk plug), on top of cut casing (stub plug), or anywhere else where a cement plug may be needed. Also, the hole is filled with drilling mud to help prevent the migration of fluids.

State Mining and Geology Board

The State Mining and Geology Board is granted certain autonomous responsibilities and obligations under several statutes within the Department of Conservation. The board's general authority requires its nine board members to "represent the general public interest." The board serves as a regulatory, policy and appeals body representing the state's interest in geology, geologic and seismologic hazards, conservation of mineral resources, and reclamation following surface mining activities.

See also

• U.S. Geological Survey
• California Environmental Protection Agency

External links

• California Department of Conservation official website