40448.5.1
. (a) Prior to adopting the program specified in
subdivision (b) of Section 40448.5 and prior to expending any funds
for any research, development, or demonstration program or project
relating to vehicles or vehicle fuels, the south coast district shall
do both of the following:
(1) Adopt and include in the program a plan describing any
proposed expenditure that sets forth the expected costs and
qualitative as well as quantitative benefits of the proposed program
or project.
(2) Find that the proposed program and projects funded as part of
the program will not duplicate any other past or present program or
project funded by the state board, the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission, an air quality management
district or air pollution control district, a public transit district
or authority within the geographic jurisdiction of the south coast
district, the San Diego Transit Corporation, the North County Transit
District, the Sacramento Regional Transit District, the
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, the San Francisco Bay Area
Rapid Transit District, the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit
District, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the Pacific Gas and Electric
Company, the Southern California Gas Company, the Southern California
Edison Company, the San Diego Gas and Electric Company, or the
Office of Mobile Sources within the Environmental Protection Agency.
This paragraph is not intended to prevent funding for programs or
projects jointly funded with another public or private agency where
there is no duplication.
(b) (1) The Office of Technology Advancement shall provide notice
to interested parties and the public at least 30 days prior to the
annual public hearing at which the south coast district board or a
committee of the board takes action to approve the clean-burning
fuels program.
(2) For the purpose of this subdivision, "interested parties"
includes groups involved in research, development, and application of
clean fuels technologies; public health and environmental
organizations with expertise in air pollution related diseases and
alternative energy technologies; relevant media; legislators, members
of the county board of supervisors, and members of any city council
that represent territory within the south coast district; and any
member of the general public who has expressed interest in the
program.
(c) (1) The south coast district shall establish an advisory group
to make recommendations to the south coast district board regarding
the clean-burning fuels program, technology advancement, and
pollution reduction. The advisory group shall make recommendations
regarding the most cost-effective projects that advance and implement
clean fuels technology and improve public health.
(2) The advisory group shall consist of 13 members with expertise
in either clean fuels technology and policy or public health, or
both. The members shall be appointed from scientific, academic,
entrepreneurial, environmental, and public health communities.
(3) The members of the advisory group shall adopt
conflict-of-interest guidelines that prohibit a member from
advocating an expenditure involving a project in which the member has
a professional or an economic interest.
(4) The south coast district shall consult with the advisory group
regarding approval of the annual report required by subdivision (d).
The results of that consultation shall be provided to the south
coast district board prior to its approval of the report.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 7550.5 of the Government Code, on or
before March 31 of each year that the clean-burning fuels program is
in operation, the south coast district shall prepare and submit to
the office of the Legislative Analyst and to the committees of the
Legislature responsible for improving air quality a report that, at a
minimum, includes all of the following:
(1) A description of the core technologies that the south coast
district considers critical to ensure the attainment and maintenance
of national and state ambient air quality standards and a description
of the efforts made to overcome barriers to commercialization of
those technologies.
(2) An analysis of the impact of the south coast district's
clean-burning fuels program on the private sector and on research,
development, and commercialization efforts by major automobile and
energy firms, as determined by the district.
(3) A description of clean-burning fuels projects funded by the
south coast district, including a list of recipients, subcontractors,
cofunders, and matching state or federal funds, and a description of
expected and actual results of each project in advancing and
implementing clean fuels technology and improving public health.
(4) The title and purpose of all projects undertaken pursuant to
the clean-burning fuels program, the names of the contractors and
subcontractors involved in each project, and the amount of money
expended for each project.
(5) A summary of the actual progress made toward the goals of the
clean-burning fuels program.
(6) Funding priorities identified for the next fiscal year and
relevant audit information for previous, current, and future fiscal
years covered by the report.
(e) Within 120 days from the date of the conclusion of a program
or project subject to subdivision (a) that is funded by the south
coast district, the south coast district shall issue a public report
that sets forth the actual costs of the program or project, the
results achieved and how they compare with expected costs and
benefits determined pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), and
any problems that were encountered by the program or project.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the south coast
district may recover the costs of implementing this section from the
revenues it receives for alternative fuel research, development, and
demonstration pursuant to Section 9250.11 of the Vehicle Code.