(a) There is in the General Fund the Toxic Substances Control Account, which shall be administered by the director. In addition to any other money that may be appropriated by the Legislature to the Toxic Substances Control Account, all of the following shall be deposited in the account:
(1) The fees collected pursuant to Section 25205.6.
(2) The fees collected pursuant to Section 25187.2, to the extent that those fees are for oversight of a removal or remedial action taken under Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) or Chapter 6.86 (commencing with Section 25396).
(3) Fines or penalties collected pursuant to this chapter, Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) or Chapter 6.86 (commencing with Section 25396), except as directed otherwise by Section 25192.
(4) Interest earned upon money deposited in the Toxic Substances Control Account.
(5) All money recovered pursuant to Section 25360, except any amount recovered on or before June 30, 2006, that was paid from the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Fund.
(6) All money recovered pursuant to Section 25380.
(7) All penalties recovered pursuant to Section 25214.3, except as provided by Section 25192.
(8) All penalties recovered pursuant to Section 25214.22.1, except as provided by Section 25192.
(9) All penalties recovered pursuant to Section 25215.82, except as provided by Section 25192.
(10) Reimbursements for funds expended from the Toxic Substances Control Account for services provided by the department, including, but not limited to, reimbursements required pursuant to Sections 25201.9 and 25343.
(11) Money received from the federal government pursuant to the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 et seq.).
(12) Money received from responsible parties for remedial action or removal at a specific site, except as otherwise provided by law.
(b) The funds deposited in the Toxic Substances Control Account may be appropriated to the department for the following purposes:
(1) The administration and implementation of the following:
(A) Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), except that funds shall not be expended from the Toxic Substances Control Account for purposes of Section 25354.5.
(B) Chapter 6.86 (commencing with Section 25396).
(C) Article 10 (commencing with Section 7710) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of the Public Utilities Code, to the extent the department has been delegated responsibilities by the Secretary for Environmental Protection for implementing that article.
(D) Activities of the department related to pollution prevention and technology development, authorized pursuant to this chapter.
(2) The administration of the following units, and successor organizations of those units, within the department, and the implementation of programs administered by those units or successor organizations:
(A) The Human and Ecological Risk Office.
(B) The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory.
(C) The Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development.
(3) For allocation to the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, pursuant to an interagency agreement, to assist the department as needed in administering the programs described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1).
(4) For allocation to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to pay refunds of fees collected pursuant to Section 43054 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(5) For the state share mandated pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Section 104 of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9604(c)(3)).
(6) For the purchase by the state, or by a local agency with the prior approval of the director, of hazardous substance response equipment and other preparations for response to a release of hazardous substances. However, all equipment shall be purchased in a cost-effective manner after consideration of the adequacy of existing equipment owned by the state or the local agency, and the availability of equipment owned by private contractors.
(7) For payment of all costs of removal and remedial action incurred by the state, or by a local agency with the approval of the director, in response to a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, to the extent the costs are not reimbursed by the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 et seq.).
(8) For payment of all costs of actions taken pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 25358.3, to the extent that these costs are not paid by the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 et seq.).
(9) For all costs incurred by the department in cooperation with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry established pursuant to subsection (i) of Section 104 of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9604(i)) and all costs of health effects studies undertaken regarding specific sites or specific substances at specific sites. Funds appropriated for this purpose shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in a single fiscal year. However, these actions shall not duplicate reasonably available federal actions and studies.
(10) For repayment of the principal of, and interest on, bonds sold pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 25385) of Chapter 6.8.
(11) Direct site remediation costs.
(12) For the department’s expenses for staff to perform oversight of investigations, characterizations, removals, remediations, or long-term operation and maintenance.
(13) For the administration and collection of the fees imposed pursuant to Section 25205.6.
(14) For allocation to the office of the Attorney General, pursuant to an interagency agreement or similar mechanism, for the support of the Toxic Substance Enforcement Program in the office of the Attorney General, in carrying out the purposes of Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) and Chapter 6.86 (commencing with Section 25396).
(15) For funding the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program established pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 105440) of Part 5 of Division 103.
(16) As provided in Sections 25214.3 and 25215.7 and, with regard to penalties recovered pursuant to Section 25214.22.1, to implement and enforce Article 10.4 (commencing with Section 25214.11).
(c) The funds deposited in the Toxic Substances Control Account may be appropriated by the Legislature to the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the State Department of Public Health for the purposes of carrying out their duties pursuant to the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 105440) of Part 5 of Division 103).
(d) The director shall expend federal funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account consistent with the requirements specified in Section 114 of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9614), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes for which they were provided to the state.
(e) Money in the Toxic Substances Control Account shall not be expended to conduct removal or remedial actions if a significant portion of the hazardous substances to be removed or remedied originated from a source outside the state.
(f) The Director of Finance, upon request of the director, may make a loan from the General Fund to the Toxic Substances Control Account to meet cash needs. The loan shall be subject to the repayment provisions of Section 16351 of the Government Code and the interest provisions of Section 16314 of the Government Code.
(g) The Toxic Substances Control Account established pursuant to subdivision (a) is the successor fund of all of the following:
(1) The Hazardous Substance Account established pursuant to Section 25330, as that section read on June 30, 2006.
(2) The Hazardous Substance Clearing Account established pursuant to Section 25334, as that section read on June 30, 2006.
(3) The Hazardous Substance Cleanup Fund established pursuant to Section 25385.3, as that section read on June 30, 2006.
(4) The Superfund Bond Trust Fund established pursuant to Section 25385.8, as that section read on June 30, 2006.
(h) On and after July 1, 2006, all assets, liabilities, and surplus of the accounts and funds listed in subdivision (g), shall be transferred to, and become a part of, the Toxic Substances Control Account, as provided by Section 16346 of the Government Code. All existing appropriations from these accounts, to the extent encumbered, shall continue to be available for the same purposes and periods from the Toxic Substances Control Account.
(i) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department, on or before February 1 of each year, shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the prior fiscal year’s expenditure of funds within the Toxic Substances Control Account for the purposes specified in subdivision (b).
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 161. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)