Article 4. General Powers And Duties of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 27. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 4.

All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this division shall be payable solely from funds provided under the authority of this division and no liability or obligation shall be imposed upon the State of California and none shall be incurred by the authority beyond the extent to which moneys shall have been provided under the provisions of this division. Under no circumstances shall the authority create any debt, liability, or obligation on the part of the State of California payable from any source whatsoever other than the moneys provided under the provisions of this division.

(a) All projects shall be constructed or completed subject to the rules and regulations of the authority.
  (b) The authority is authorized to acquire, by deed, purchase, lease, contract, gift, devise, or otherwise, any real or personal property, structures, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and other interests in lands located within this state necessary or convenient for the construction or operation of a project, upon such terms and conditions as it deems advisable, and to lease, sell, or dispose of the same in such manner as may be necessary or desirable to carry out the objects and purposes of this division. Nothing in this division shall authorize the authority to exercise the power of eminent domain.

When the principal of and interest on bonds of the authority issued to finance or refund the cost of a particular project for a participating party shall have been fully paid and retired or when adequate provision shall have been made for the payment and retirement of the same, and all other conditions of the resolution, indenture, or agreement authorizing and securing the same shall have been satisfied and the lien of the resolution, indenture, or agreement shall have been released in accordance with the provisions thereof, the authority is authorized, upon terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the authority, to execute these deeds and conveyances as are necessary or required to convey title to the project to the participating party.

(a) The authority shall take initial action on any completed application for financing submitted to it by a participating party no later than the next meeting of the authority that occurs after at least 30 days following receipt of the application. The authority may delegate to its executive director or any other official or employee of the authority to grant initial approval for financing to a participating party.
  (b) The authority shall take final action with regard to the issuance of bonds or notes to lend financial assistance to a participating party within 60 days of receipt by the authority of a request from the participating party for the issuance of bonds or notes.
  (c) A request from a participating party for final approval of the issuance of bonds or notes shall be accompanied by evidence of the fulfillment of all conditions to the issuance of the bonds or notes and by copies of forms of all principal legal documents to be approved by the authority, which shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Attorney General.
  (d) The authority may give final approval for the issuance of bonds or notes upon terms as it deems necessary and desirable.

The authority may approve financing for a pollution control facility, or equipment for a facility, that is not owned by the applicant if the facility or equipment is a component of an approved tradeoff package to achieve air quality standards. The authority may also approve financing for projects where the owner of the project enters into a lease or operating agreement with another entity that will use the project. In either case both the owner and the user shall be treated as participating parties.

The authority shall take all reasonable steps to publicize its programs so that eligible applicants may be aware of them.

The authority shall provide the maximum opportunity for the use of the authority's financing by individuals, businesses engaged in agricultural operations, and small businesses or corporations by providing information, assistance, and coordination to facilitate financing for small projects and other financing that benefits the environment and the economy of the state, including financing for projects for the disposal of agricultural wastes, with special attention to the needs of businesses that do not meet standard commercial lending requirements but provide public benefits, such as job creation or retention and the redevelopment for economically beneficial uses of contaminated properties. The authority shall assist with the financing of the costs of, among other things, assessment of, remedial planning and reporting for, technical assistance for, and the cleanup, remediation, or development of, brownfield sites, and any other similar or related costs, by providing the loans authorized pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 44526. The authority shall provide the maximum opportunity to provide loan funding pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 44526 to assist brownfield site financing assistance programs where the sites are located in economically struggling communities suffering from a low level of income or a high level of poverty or unemployment.

The authority, no later than March 31 of each year, shall submit to the Legislature and to the Treasurer a report of its activities for the preceding calendar year ended December 31. The report shall include (1) a listing of applications received, (2) a listing of applications accepted for financing, (3) specification of bonds sold, interest rates thereon, and whether bond sales were pursuant to public bid or were negotiated, (4) specification of the amount of bonds authorized but currently unsold, (5) a projection of the authority's needs and requirements for the coming year, and (6) a report of revenues and expenditures for the preceding fiscal year. The Treasurer shall review the report and advise the Legislature in writing of any problems and of any impact on the state's credit rating and the state's ability to borrow funds for state programs.

An applicant for financing for a project involving a waste water treatment plan shall provide evidence satisfactory to the State Water Resources Control Board that the waste water treatment facilities will be operated and maintained by competent personnel. Such evidence shall include, but not be limited to, a description of operating procedures, organizational structure, minimum personnel requirements and training program.