(a) In order to provide funding for air pollution control programs needed to achieve and maintain state and federal air quality, the district may do both of the following:
(1) Notwithstanding the limits on the amount of the motor vehicle fee specified in Sections 44223 and 44225, increase the fee established pursuant to these sections to up to, but not exceeding, thirty dollars ($30) per motor vehicle per year for the purposes of establishing and implementing incentive-based programs to achieve surplus emissions reductions that the district determines are needed to remediate air pollution harms created by motor vehicles on which the fee is imposed and that are intended to achieve and maintain state and federal ambient air quality standards required by the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.). Except for the amount of the fee, any increase shall be subject to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 44220) of Part 5, including, but not limited to, the adoption of a resolution providing for both the fee increase and a corresponding program for expenditure of the moneys raised by the increased fees for the reduction of mobile source emissions.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 40717.9, adopt rules and regulations to reduce vehicle trips in order to reduce air pollution from vehicular sources.
(b) Fees adopted pursuant to this section are in addition to any other fees imposed by the district, and may be charged in any of fiscal years 2009–10 to 2023–24, inclusive. Fees may be assessed after the 2012–13 fiscal year only if the United States Environmental Protection Agency approves the district’s proposed reclassification of its nonattainment status for ozone from severe to extreme. The fees adopted pursuant to this section are for the district portion of the total amount needed to achieve and maintain state and federal ambient air quality standards. At least ten million dollars ($10,000,000) shall be used to mitigate the impacts of air pollution on public health and the environment in disproportionately impacted environmental justice communities in the San Joaquin Valley. The district board shall convene an environmental justice advisory committee, selected from a list given to the board by environmental justice groups from the San Joaquin Valley, to recommend the neighborhoods in the district that constitute environmental justice communities, and how to expend funds within these communities.
(c) (1) The fees adopted pursuant to this section shall become effective after the state board makes both of the following findings:
(A) The district has undertaken all feasible measures to reduce nonattainment air pollutants from sources within the district’s jurisdiction and regulatory control.
(B) The district has notified the state board that fees have been adopted pursuant to this section and provided the state board with an estimate of the total funds that will be provided annually by each of those fees.
(2) The state board shall file a written copy of its findings made pursuant to this subdivision with the Secretary of State within two days of its determination.
(3) The fees adopted pursuant to this section shall be collected nine months after the requirements of paragraph (2) are met.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 677, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)