The board may expend the moneys in the Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund, created under subdivision (a) of Section 25299.50, for all the following purposes:

(a) In addition to the purposes specified in subdivisions (c), (d), and (e), for the costs of implementing this chapter and for implementing Section 25296.10 for a tank that is subject to this chapter.

(b) To pay for the administrative costs of the State Board of Equalization in collecting the fee imposed by Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40).

(c) To pay for the reasonable and necessary costs of corrective action pursuant to Section 25299.36, up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence. The Legislature may appropriate the money in the fund for expenditure by the board, without regard to fiscal year, for prompt action in response to any unauthorized release.

(d) To pay for the costs of an agreement for the abatement of, and oversight of the abatement of, an unauthorized release of hazardous substances from underground storage tanks, by a local agency, as authorized by Section 25297.1 or by any other provision of law, except that, for the purpose of expenditure of these funds, only underground storage tanks, as defined in Section 25299.24, shall be the subject of the agreement.

(e) To pay for the costs of cleanup and oversight of unauthorized releases at abandoned tank sites. The board shall not expend more than 25 percent of the total amount of money collected and deposited in the fund annually for the purposes of this subdivision and subdivision (h).

(f) To pay claims pursuant to Section 25299.57.

(g) To pay, upon order of the Controller, for refunds pursuant to Part 26 (commencing with Section 50101) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(h) To pay for the reasonable and necessary costs of corrective action pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 25296.10, in response to an unauthorized release from an underground storage tank subject to this chapter.

(i) To pay claims pursuant to Section 25299.58.

(j) To pay for expenditures by the board associated with discovering violations of, and enforcing, or assisting in the enforcement of, the requirements of Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) with regard to petroleum underground storage tanks.

(k) For transfer to the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Financing Account, for purposes of Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100).

(l) Upon repeal of Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100), to pay for expenditures authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 25299.117 as that section reads as of December 31, 2021, immediately preceding its repeal.

(m) For transfer to the Site Cleanup Subaccount to pay for expenditures by the board pursuant to Section 25299.50.6, including costs for regulatory oversight of sites funded pursuant to that section.

(n) To pay for reasonable and necessary expenditures by the board associated with discovering violations of and enforcing, or assisting in the enforcement of, the requirements of this chapter, including actions relating to the submission of false information to the fund.

(o) (1) For transfer to the School District Account to pay for expenditures by the board pursuant to Section 25299.50.3 or for transfer pursuant to subdivision (k) or (m).

(2) This subdivision shall apply only to the moneys collected pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 25299.43.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 547, Sec. 12. (SB 445) Effective September 25, 2014. Operative January 1, 2015, pursuant to Stats. 2014, Ch. 547, Sec. 35. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 25299.81.)