§ 68304. Application Process.

(a) An applicant may apply for a loan for a groundwater remediation project by submitting a completed Groundwater Remediation Loan package to the Department by August 30 of any fiscal year. The Department may disburse loans until the approximately seven million dollars ($7,000,000) of Water Bond Act funding, less administrative costs, is expended.

(b) The Department will make a determination by August 30 of each fiscal year whether Water Bond Act funds are available under section 79133 of the Water Code. The determination will also include the funding level available.

(c) The Groundwater Remediation Loan package sets forth the information required by the Department to determine if the groundwater remediation project is eligible for funding under section 79133 of the Water Code. The Department will not consider the application complete until all required information is received.

(d) The Groundwater Remediation Loan package shall be signed by a legally authorized representative of the applicant and submitted to the California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control. Application packages may be mailed to the Department at P.O. Box 806, Sacramento, California 95812-0806. The applicant shall provide the Department with three (3) copies of the application package with original signatures and all accompanying support documentation.

(e) Staff will review each application package for completeness and determine whether the applicant and the applicant's project are eligible to receive loan funding under section 79133 of the Water Code, including credit worthiness of the applicant. Within sixty (60) days of receiving an application, Department staff will notify the applicant by letter of one of the following:

(1) The applicant or the applicant's project is ineligible for a loan. If the applicant or the applicant's project is determined to be ineligible, the reasons for the Department's determination will be provided in writing to the applicant. The applicant will have 10 days to submit additional information needed, if such information may make the project eligible; or

(2) The application package is incomplete. If the package is determined to be incomplete, the Department will specify the steps in writing, if any, that the applicant may take to correct identified deficiencies. The applicant will have 10 days to submit additional information needed to complete the application package, or

(3) The applicant and applicant's project are eligible for a loan.

(f) Upon the Department's determination that the loan application package is complete, the package will be considered for prioritization with other eligible projects. The eligible loan application packages will be ranked each fiscal year based on criteria established in Section 68302, Priority Ranking Criteria.

(g) Applicants will be notified in writing when their projects are approved for loan funding.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 6-25-2001 as an emergency; operative 6-25-2001 (Register 2001, No. 26). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-23-2001 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

2. New section refiled 10-2-2001 as an emergency; operative 10-24-2001 (Register 2001, No. 40). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 2-21-2002 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

3. New section refiled 2-13-2002 as an emergency; operative 2-13-2002 (Register 2002, No. 7). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-13-2002 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

4. Certificate of Compliance as to 2-13-2002 order transmitted to OAL 2-28-2002 and filed 4-8-2002 (Register 2002, No. 15).

Note

Note: Authority cited: Sections 25150 and 25351.5, Health and Safety Code; and Section 79133, Water Code. Reference: Section 79133, Water Code.