(a) In accordance with the purposes of this chapter as set forth in Section 40402, the south coast district board shall establish rules and regulations for the granting of variances by the hearing board from Section 41701 or from any standards for the discharge of air contaminants that the south coast district may adopt. The south coast district board shall not limit the opportunity for any person to petition for a variance or for the hearing board to hear and grant variances beyond the limitations expressly stated in Section 42350.
(b) The rules and regulations shall include a schedule of fees, which shall be based upon the number of sources to which the variances apply and the extent that the amount of emissions from the sources exceeds the required standards, for the filing of applications for variances. All applicants shall pay the fees required by the rules and regulations, including, notwithstanding Section 6103 of the Government Code, an applicant that is a publicly owned public utility. A variance may be granted by the hearing board after a public hearing and upon filing, with appropriate fees, of a variance petition with the hearing board.
(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 618, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1997.)