The Monterey County Board of Supervisors has voted to declare a shale mine near San Ardo abandoned by its owner, paving the way to begin a reclamation process. 

The 12-acre mine awarded in 2011 to Vance Querfurth was authorized to operate the Carmel Stone Mine through 2036, according to county documents. The mine excavated a rock called Monterey shale, also known as Carmel stone, which is used as a building material. 

But Querfurth stopped paying inspection fees in 2013 and stopped filing required annual compliance paperwork in 2015. He also stopped making the necessary funding adjustments to the reclamation fund that mine operators are required to set up to restore the land to its original state. 

“This is the first time, first case where there’s been an abandonment and a total lack of response to the letters coming back from the last known addresses, and not getting any effort from the owners,” said board chair Luis Alejo on Tuesday. 

Supervisor Glenn Church said later during the meeting that Querfurth was deceased, but it was unclear when he died or if county staff was aware of that fact. The county most recently sent him an invoice for the unpaid fees in July.

Land’s new purpose

The county will seize the fund established when the mine was awarded to fund reclamation of the land. That fund, known as a financial assurance mechanism, is worth nearly $75,000. 

Reclamation work could be cheaper than it otherwise might be due to the land’s planned new use and the fact that vegetation will be allowed to naturally grow back, according to Ben Hoke, an assistant field manager with the federal Bureau of Land Management who spoke at the meeting. 

The site will likely be used as a staging area for equipment for the Bureau of Land Management, which owns the land. It could also be maintained as a fire break, which is an area of deforested land that acts as a barrier to wildfire spread. 

Supervisor Chris Lopez urged whatever money was left from the reclamation work to be used for road improvements at the site, which Hoke said would likely be possible with the funds available.  

The site, about 6 miles west of U.S. Highway 101 and San Ardo, consists of several pits that are between 10-30 feet deep, according to Hoke. He said there are several areas of flat land that make the site ideal to park vehicles and stage equipment.