(a) Nothing in this article prohibits a landowner, local agency, or renewable energy corporation authorized to conduct business in this state from seeking financial assistance from eligible state funding sources to defray either of the following costs:
(1) The costs of merging parcels, including, but not limited to, escrow costs, on private or public lands pursuant to this article.
(2) The costs of establishing or administering a joint powers authority established or authorized to merge parcels on private or public lands, including, but not limited to, all eligible costs, for the purpose of siting renewable energy facilities.
(b) This section does not authorize the use of state funds for the acquisition of real property for which a parcel merger will be initiated.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 492, Sec. 1. (SB 1319) Effective January 1, 2011.)