Chapter 5. Air Pollution Control Subvention Program of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 26. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 5.

As used in this chapter, "dollars budgeted" means moneys derived from revenue sources within a district for use in its air pollution control programs.

The state board shall administer, pursuant to this chapter, such funds as may be appropriated to it for the purposes of this chapter.

(a) The state board may subvene up to one dollar ($1) for every dollar budgeted for use by any of the following:
  (1) A district whose boundaries include an entire air basin.
  (2) Districts whose boundaries together include an entire air basin and which are parties to one joint powers agreement or other enforceable agreement which provides for all of the following:
  (A) Uniform rules and regulations among all districts, excluding administrative rules and regulations.
  (B) At least four meetings per year of the basinwide air pollution control council formed under Section 40900, or an equivalent procedure for basinwide consideration of policy matters.
  (C) Suitable sharing of qualified air pollution personnel and equipment.
  (b) (1) Subventions under this section shall not exceed twenty-three cents ($0. 23) per capita, but shall not be less than eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000) for any district, if the district provides the required matching funds, except as specified in paragraph (2).
  (2) If a district is a rural district, as defined by the state board, the minimum subvention shall be that specified in Section 39802.5 if the district provides the required matching funds and does one of the following:
  (A) Has a fee system that fully recovers the district's cost of issuing and renewing permits, performing source inspections, determining compliance status, and processing variances for stationary sources which emit 25 or more tons annually of any regulated pollutant.
  (B) Provides its matching funds, for any funds authorized by Section 39802.5 in excess of the dollar amount subvened to the district pursuant to this chapter in fiscal year 1986-87, from an increase in moneys budgeted over the level of funding budgeted for the 1986-87 fiscal year.
  (c) The merger into a unified or regional district pursuant to this division by any county district shall cause the minimum subvention of the county district to be transferred to the unified district or regional district if the unified district or regional district provides the required matching funds. If portions of a county district are merged into unified or regional districts pursuant to this division, the state board shall apportion, according to population within each portion of the county, the minimum subvention of the county district to the unified districts or regional districts into which the portions of the county district are merged. A unified district or a regional district which has all or a portion of a county district minimum subvention transferred to it under this section may not also receive subventions under the per capita provisions of this section. A subvention made pursuant to Section 39803 shall preclude subvention under this section.

Minimum subventions for purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 39802 shall be determined as follows:
  (a) If the amount appropriated in the Budget Act for district subventions is equal to or less than seven million eleven thousand dollars ($7,011,000), the minimum subvention is eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000).
  (b) If the amount appropriated in the Budget Act for district subventions is at least seven million five hundred eleven thousand dollars ($7,511,000), the minimum subvention is thirty-four thousand four hundred dollars ($34,400).
  (c) (1) If the amount appropriated in the Budget Act for district subventions is more than seven million eleven thousand dollars ($7,011,000), but less than seven million five hundred eleven thousand dollars ($7,511,000), the minimum subvention is the sum of (A) eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000) and (B) the product of (i) sixteen thousand four hundred dollars ($16,400) multiplied by (ii) the amount by which the funds budgeted for district subventions exceeds seven million eleven thousand dollars ($7,011,000) divided by five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
  (2) Any portion of the amount appropriated in the Budget Act for district subventions which is more than seven million eleven thousand dollars ($7,011,000), but less than seven million five hundred eleven thousand dollars ($7,511,000), and which is not awarded in accordance with the determination of minimum subventions pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be subvened pursuant to Section 39810 only to rural districts, as defined by the state board.

In air basins where funds are not subvened pursuant to Section 39802, the state board may subvene up to two dollars ($2) for every three dollars ($3) budgeted by a district. Subventions under this section shall not exceed eighteen and four-tenths cents ($0.184) per capita, but shall not be less than twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) for any district, if the district provides the required matching funds. Any county district which merged after January 1, 1980, into a unified district or regional district pursuant to this division shall have its minimum subvention under this section transferred to the unified district or regional district if the unified district or regional district provides the required matching funds. A unified district or regional district which has a county district minimum subvention transferred to it under this section may not also receive subventions under the per capita provisions of this section.

In air basins having a population of less than 98,000, the state board may subvene more than the specified amount allowed under Section 39802, if the subvention does not exceed forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) per air basin and each district affected adopts a budget equal to or exceeding twenty-three cents ($0.23) per capita.

The per capita limits in Sections 39802 and 39803 and the forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) limit in Section 39804 may be increased by the state board to reflect the effects of inflation on the moneys needed to carry out air pollution control programs. No increase shall be made without the prior written approval of the Director of Finance.

(a) Money shall be subvened pursuant to this chapter to districts engaged in the reduction of air contaminants pursuant to the basinwide air pollution control plan and related implementation programs. When the state board finds, pursuant to a resolution from the district board, or upon completion of proceedings conducted by the state board pursuant to Sections 39806.5 and 41500, that the district is not so engaged in the reduction of air contaminants, the subvention, or a portion thereof, which would have been allocated to such district pursuant to Section 39802, 39803, or 39804, plus such additional sum as may be necessary, if moneys are available from appropriations for the purposes of this chapter, shall be allocated to the state board itself to carry out the approved plan or program.
  (b) The findings of the state board shall be based on criteria established by the state board jointly with the districts for the evaluation of such plans and programs. The criteria shall be less stringent for rural districts, shall be based upon the differences in urban and rural air quality problems, population, and available resources, and shall recognize the transport of air pollutants from metropolitan areas to rural areas.
  (c) If the state board acts under this section pursuant to a resolution of the district board, it may do so without proceeding under Sections 39806.5 and 41500.

(a) Before taking any action pursuant to Sections 39806 and 39808, the state board shall hold a public hearing within the air basin affected, upon a 45-day written notice given to the basinwide air pollution control council, if any, the affected districts, the affected air quality planning agencies, and the public.
  (b) In addition to any other statutory requirements, interested persons shall have the right, at the public hearing to present oral and written evidence and to question and solicit testimony of qualified representatives of the state board on the matter being considered. The state board may, at the public hearing, place reasonable limits on the right to question and solicit testimony.
  (c) If, after conducting the public hearing required by subdivision (a), the state board determines to take action pursuant to any section enumerated in subdivision (a), the state board shall, based on the record of the public hearing, adopt written findings which explain the action to be taken by the state board, why the state board decided to take the action, and why the action is authorized by, and meets the requirements of, the statutory provisions pursuant to which it was taken. In addition, the findings shall address the significant issues raised or written evidence presented by interested persons or the staff of the state board. The transcript of testimony and exhibits, together with all papers and requests filed in the proceedings, shall constitute the exclusive record for decision by the state board.
  (d) Subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) shall be applicable to the executive officer of the state board acting pursuant to Section 39515, or to his delegates acting pursuant to Section 39516, with respect to any action taken pursuant to any section enumerated in subdivision (a).

The subvention otherwise due a district may be reduced by the state board up to an amount equal to the funds that are granted to the district by the federal government. In so reducing a subvention, the state board shall take into account all of the following factors:
  (a) The purpose for which the federal funds were granted.
  (b) The needs of the district in relationship to the needs of other districts.
  (c) Any special and worthy programs conducted by the district not required by the plan or program approved by the state board pursuant to Section 41500.
  (d) The severity of air pollution within the district.
  (e) Any other factors that the state board reasonably determines should be considered.

The state board may review, as it deems necessary, the programs and expenditures by each district receiving a subvention under this chapter to ascertain that the funds budgeted from nonstate sources are in fact being expended substantially in accordance with the budget on which the subvention was based. Where the state board finds that the funds are not being so expended, the state board may, after a public hearing held pursuant to Section 39806.5 do any of the following:
  (a) Cease any further payments under the subvention.
  (b) Withhold future subventions.
  (c) Bring an action against the district, or the counties or cities supporting the district, to recover the subvention paid that fiscal year.
  (d) Assume the powers of the district after it has held a public hearing upon a 45-day written notice given to the basinwide air pollution control council, if there is such a council, and to the affected districts.

The state board may allocate to itself sufficient moneys to administer the subvention program under this chapter and to conduct reviews authorized by Section 39808.

Any moneys not otherwise subvened or allocated by the state board pursuant to this chapter may be used for supplemental subventions, upon application, up to a one-to-one matching basis or, in the state board's discretion, for any other purpose related to the control of nonvehicular sources. Matching supplemental subventions having unusual merit shall be given preference over expenditures for other purposes. In making supplemental subventions, the state board may consider federal grants received by the applicant and by other districts.

Any moneys appropriated to the state board for expenditure under this chapter not allocated during the fiscal year shall revert to the General Fund.