(a) The administrator, taking into consideration the California oil spill contingency plan, shall promulgate regulations regarding the adequacy of oil spill elements of area plans required pursuant to Section 25503 of the Health and Safety Code. In developing the regulations, the administrator shall consult with the Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee.
(b) The administrator may offer, to a unified program agency with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of the state, a grant to complete, update, or revise an oil spill element of the area plan.
(c) Each oil spill element established under this section shall include provisions for training fire and police personnel in oil spill response and cleanup equipment use and operations.
(d) Each oil spill element prepared under this section shall be consistent with the local government’s local coastal program as certified under Section 30500 of the Public Resources Code, the California oil spill contingency plan, and the National Contingency Plan.
(e) If a grant is awarded, the administrator shall review and approve each oil spill element established pursuant to this section. If, upon review, the administrator determines that the oil spill element is inadequate, the administrator shall return it to the agency that prepared it, specifying the nature and extent of the inadequacies, and, if practicable, suggesting modifications. The unified program agency shall submit a new or modified element within 90 days after the element was returned, responding to the findings and incorporating any suggested modifications.
(f) The administrator shall review the preparedness of unified program agencies to determine whether a program of grants for completing oil spill elements is desirable and should be continued. If the administrator determines that local government preparedness should be improved, the administrator shall request the Legislature to appropriate funds from the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund for the purposes of this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 35, Sec. 28. (SB 861) Effective June 20, 2014.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018