(a) (1) The administrator may only expend money from the fund to pay for any of the following, subject to the lien established in Section 8670.53.2:
(A) To pay the cost of obtaining financial security as authorized by paragraph (5) of subdivision (k) and subdivision (o) of Section 8670.48.
(B) To pay the principal, interest, premium, if any, and fees, charges, and costs of any kind incurred in connection with moneys drawn by the administrator on the financial security obtained by the Treasurer, or the moneys borrowed by the Treasurer, as authorized by paragraph (7) of subdivision (k) of Section 8670.48.
(C) To pay for the expansion, in the VTS area, pursuant to Section 445 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, of the vessel traffic service system (VTS system) authorized pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 8670.21.
(2) If a spill has occurred, the administrator may expend the money in the fund for the purposes identified in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of subdivision (k) of Section 8670.48 only upon making the following determinations:
(A) Except as authorized by Section 8670.51.1, a responsible party does not exist or the responsible party is unable or unwilling to provide adequate and timely cleanup and to pay for the damages resulting from the spill. The administrator shall make a reasonable effort to have the party responsible remove the oil or agree to pay for any actions resulting from the spill that may be required by law, provided that the efforts are not detrimental to fish, plant, animal, or bird life in the affected waters. The reasonable effort of the administrator shall include attempting to access the responsible parties’ insurance or other proof of financial responsibility.
(B) Sufficient federal oil spill funds are not available or will not be available in an adequate period of time.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the administrator may expend money from the fund for authorized expenditures when a reimbursement procedure is in place to receive reimbursements for those expenditures from federal oil spill funds.
(b) Upon making the determinations specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), the administrator shall immediately make whatever payments are necessary for responding to, containing, or cleaning up the spill, including any wildlife rehabilitation required by law and payment of claims pursuant to Sections 8670.51 and 8670.51.1, subject to the lien established by Section 8670.53.2.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 35, Sec. 43. (SB 861) Effective June 20, 2014.)