Section 25358.7.2 Of Article 5. Uses Of The State Account From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 20. >> Chapter 6.8. >> Article 5.
25358.7.2
. (a) On or before July 1, 2000, the department and the
State Water Resources Control Board shall establish two community
service offices, one to serve northern California and the other to
serve southern California. With regard to sites listed pursuant to
Section 25356 where the department or regional board is taking action
to investigate or remediate the site, the community assistance
offices shall facilitate communication between the department or
regional board, the responsible parties, and the affected community,
including any community advisory group that may have been formed in
the community where the hazardous substance release site is located.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 25390.3, the
department and, if appropriate, the State Water Resources Control
Board shall expend a total of four hundred thousand dollars
($400,000) per year from the Orphan Share Reimbursement Trust Fund
established pursuant to Article 7.8 (commencing with Section 25390)
on the operation of the community service offices established
pursuant to this section. The offices shall use these funds to
provide direct technical and logistical support to any community
advisory group established pursuant to Section 25358.7.1. Funds
allocated pursuant to this subdivision shall supplement, and not
supplant, any funds expended for the purposes of developing and
implementing other public participation activities required to be
undertaken pursuant to this chapter, including, but not limited to,
activities undertaken pursuant to the National Contingency Plan or
the public participation workplan required to be adopted by the
department pursuant to Section 25358.7.
(c) The State Water Resources Control Board may contract with the
department to provide this service on behalf of a regional board if
the State Water Resources Control Board finds that it would be more
practical and economical to do so.
(d) In implementing this section, the department and the regional
boards are not obligated to expend funds beyond the amounts
appropriated in any fiscal year for purposes of developing and
implementing public participation activities required by other
provisions of this chapter unless the Orphan Share Reimbursement
Trust Fund contains funding at the level specified in subdivision
(b).