(a) (1) If the board makes the determination specified in subdivision (d) for a claim filed on or before December 31, 2014, the board may only pay for the costs of a corrective action that exceed the level of financial responsibility required to be obtained pursuant to Section 25299.32, but not more than one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for each occurrence.

(2) If the board makes the determination specified in subdivision (d) for a claim filed on or after January 1, 2015, the board may only pay for the costs of a corrective action that exceed the level of financial responsibility required to be obtained pursuant to Section 25299.32, but not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) for each occurrence.

(3) In the case of an owner or operator who, as of January 1, 1988, was required to perform corrective action, who initiated that corrective action in accordance with Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code or Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280), and who is undertaking the corrective action in compliance with waste discharge requirements or other orders issued pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code or Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280), the owner or operator may apply to the board for satisfaction of a claim filed pursuant to this article.

(4) The board shall notify claimants applying for satisfaction of claims from the fund of eligibility for reimbursement in a prompt and timely manner and that a letter of credit or commitment that will obligate funds for reimbursement shall follow the notice of eligibility as soon thereafter as possible.

(b) (1) For claims eligible for reimbursement pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 25299.55, the claimant shall submit the actual cost of corrective action to the board, which shall either approve or disapprove the costs incurred as reasonable and necessary. At least 15 days before the board proposes to disapprove the reimbursement of corrective action costs that have been incurred on the grounds that the costs were unreasonable or unnecessary, the board shall issue a notice advising the claimant and the lead agency of the proposed disallowance, to allow review and comment.

(2) The board shall not reject any actual costs of corrective action in a claim solely on the basis that the invoices submitted fail to sufficiently detail the actual costs incurred, if all of the following apply:

(A) Auxiliary documentation is provided that documents to the board’s satisfaction that the invoice is for necessary corrective action work.

(B) The costs of corrective action work in the claim are reasonably commensurate with similar corrective action work performed during the same time period covered by the invoice for which reimbursement is sought.

(C) The invoices include a brief description of the work performed, the date that the work was performed, the vendor, and the amount.

(c) (1) For claims eligible for prepayment pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 25299.55, the claimant shall submit the estimated cost of the corrective action to the board, which shall approve or disapprove the reasonableness of the cost estimate.

(2) If the claim is for reimbursement of costs incurred pursuant to a performance-based contract, Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 25299.64) shall apply to that claim.

(d) Except as provided in subdivision (j), a claim specified in subdivision (a) may be paid if the board makes all of the following findings:

(1) There has been an unauthorized release of petroleum into the environment from an underground storage tank.

(2) The claimant is required to undertake or contract for corrective action pursuant to Section 25296.10, under the federal act, or under Section 6973 of Title 42 of the United States Code, or, as of January 1, 1988, the claimant has initiated corrective action in accordance with Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code.

(3) The claimant has complied with Section 25299.31.

(4) (A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B), (C), and (F), the claimant has complied with the permit requirements of Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280). A claimant shall obtain a permit required by subdivision (a) of Section 25284 for the underground storage tank that is the subject of the claim when the claimant becomes subject to subdivision (a) of Section 25284 or when the applicable local agency begins issuing permits pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25284, whichever occurs later. For the purpose of this subparagraph, a claimant shall demonstrate compliance with the permit requirements of Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) by submitting copies of the required permits or other documentation that demonstrate compliance to the satisfaction of the board.

(B) A claimant who acquires real property on which an underground storage tank is situated and, despite the exercise of reasonable diligence, was unaware of the existence of the underground storage tank when the real property was acquired, has obtained a permit required by subdivision (a) of Section 25284 for the underground storage tank that is the subject of the claim within a reasonable period, not to exceed one year, from when the claimant should have become aware of the existence of the underground storage tank, or when the applicable local agency began issuing permits pursuant to Section 25284, whichever occurs later.

(C) All claimants who file their claim on or after January 1, 2008, and who do not obtain a permit required by subdivision (a) of Section 25284 in accordance with subparagraph (A) or (B) may seek a waiver of the requirement to obtain a permit. The board shall waive the provisions of subparagraphs (A) and (B) as a condition for payment from the fund if the board finds all of the following:

(i) The claimant was unaware of the permit requirement, and upon becoming aware of the permit requirement, the claimant complies with either subdivision (a) of Section 25284 or Section 25298 and the regulations adopted to implement those sections within a reasonable period, not to exceed one year, from when the claimant became aware of the permit requirement.

(ii) Prior to submittal of the application to the fund, the claimant has complied with Section 25299.31 and has obtained and paid for all permits currently required by this paragraph.

(iii) Prior to submittal of the application to the fund, the claimant has paid all fees, interest, and penalties imposed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40) of this chapter and Part 26 (commencing with Section 50101) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for the underground storage tank that is the subject of the claim.

(D) (i) A claimant exempted pursuant to subparagraph (C) and who has complied, on or before December 22, 1998, either with subdivision (a) of Section 25284 or Section 25298 and the regulations adopted to implement those sections, shall obtain a level of financial responsibility twice as great as the amount that the claimant is otherwise required to obtain pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25299.32, but not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000). All other claimants exempted pursuant to subparagraph (C) shall obtain a level of financial responsibility that is four times as great as the amount that the claimant is otherwise required to obtain pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25299.32, but not less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).

(ii) The board may waive the requirements of clause (i) if the claimant can demonstrate that the conditions specified in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, of subparagraph (C) were satisfied prior to the causing of any contamination. That demonstration may be made through a certification issued by the permitting agency based on a site evaluation and tank tests at the time of permit application or in any other manner acceptable to the board.

(E) All claimants who file a claim before January 1, 2008, and who are not eligible for a waiver of the permit requirements pursuant to applicable statutes or regulations in effect on the date of the filing of the claim may resubmit a new claim pursuant to subparagraph (C) on or after January 1, 2008. The board shall rank all claims resubmitted pursuant to subparagraph (C) lower than all claims filed before January 1, 2008, within their respective priority classes specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25299.52.

(F) The board shall waive the provisions of subparagraph (A) as a condition for payment from the fund for a claimant who filed his or her claim on or after January 1, 2008, and before July 1, 2009, but is not eligible for a waiver of the permit requirement pursuant to the regulations adopted by the board in effect on the date of the filing of the claim, and who did not obtain or apply for a permit required by subdivision (a) of Section 25284, if the board finds all of the following:

(i) The claim is filed pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 25299.54 and the claim otherwise satisfies the eligibility requirements of that paragraph.

(ii) The claimant became the owner or de facto owner of an underground storage tank prior to December 22, 1998.

(iii) The claimant did not, and does not, operate the underground storage tank.

(iv) Within three years after becoming the owner or de facto owner of the underground storage tank but not after December 22, 1998, the claimant caused the underground storage tank to be removed and closed in accordance with applicable law, and commenced no later than December 22, 1998, to perform corrective action pursuant to Section 25296.10 of this code or pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code.

(G) The board shall rank all claims submitted pursuant to subparagraph (F) in their respective priority classes specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25299.52 in the order in which the claims are received by the board, but subsequent to any claim filed on a previous date in each of those priority classes.

(H) For purposes of clauses (ii) and (iv) of subparagraph (F), “de facto owner of an underground storage tank” means a person who purchases or otherwise acquires real property, as defined in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 25299.54, and has actual possession of, and control over, an underground storage tank that has been abandoned by its previous owner.

(5) The board has approved either the costs incurred for the corrective action pursuant to subdivision (b) or the estimated costs for corrective action pursuant to subdivision (c).

(6) (A) The claimant has paid all fees, interest, and penalties imposed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40) and Part 26 (commencing with Section 50101) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, for the underground storage tank that is the subject of the claim.

(B) The board may accept a claimant’s statement certifying to the best of the claimant’s knowledge that payment was made to the State Board of Equalization to demonstrate satisfaction of the requirements of subparagraph (A) if both of the following apply:

(1) Records maintained by the State Board of Equalization show that fees and, if applicable, interest and penalties, have been paid by the claimant for the period corresponding to the claimant’s ownership or operation of the tank that is the subject of the claim.

(2) The State Board of Equalization and the claimant are not able to document that the payments received by the State Board of Equalization were or were not specifically related to the tank that is the subject of the claim.

(e) The board shall provide the claimant, whose cost estimate has been approved, a letter of commitment authorizing payment of the costs from the fund.

(f) The claimant may submit a request for partial payment to cover the costs of corrective action performed in stages, as approved by the board.

(g) (1) A claimant who submits a claim for payment to the board shall submit multiple bids for prospective costs as prescribed in regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 25299.77.

(2) A claimant who submits a claim to the board for the payment of professional engineering and geologic work shall submit multiple proposals and fee estimates, as required by the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 25299.77. The claimant’s selection of the provider of these services is not required to be based on the lowest estimated fee, if the fee estimate conforms with the range of acceptable costs established by the board.

(3) A claimant who submits a claim for payment to the board for remediation construction contracting work shall submit multiple bids, as required in the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 25299.77.

(4) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) do not apply to a tank owned or operated by a public agency if the prospective costs are for private professional services within the meaning of Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code and those services are procured in accordance with the requirements of that chapter.

(h) The board shall provide, upon the request of a claimant, assistance to the claimant in the selection of contractors retained by the claimant to conduct reimbursable work related to corrective actions. The board shall develop a summary of expected costs for common corrective actions. This summary of expected costs may be used by claimants as a guide in the selection and supervision of consultants and contractors.

(i) (1) To the extent funding is available, the board shall pay, within 60 days from the date of receipt of an invoice of expenditures, all costs specified in the work plan developed pursuant to Section 25296.10, and all costs that are otherwise necessary to comply with an order issued by a local, state, or federal agency.

(2) If corrective action costs, third-party compensation costs, or regulatory technical assistance costs submitted by a claimant are approved for reimbursement by the board but funding is not available for payment to the claimant at the time of approval, the board shall reimburse carrying costs incurred by the claimant after November 7, 2008, but before June 30, 2010, subject to all of the following limitations:

(A) The reimbursement for carrying costs shall not exceed the carrying costs actually incurred by the claimant from the date the corrective action costs, third-party compensation costs, or regulatory technical assistance costs are approved for payment by the board until the date that a check for the reimbursement request is issued by the Controller.

(B) The reimbursement for carrying costs shall not exceed an amount equivalent to a maximum annual percentage rate of 7 percent as applied to the amount approved for reimbursement and for the period calculated pursuant to subparagraph (A).

(C) The board shall not reimburse carrying costs that amount to less than one hundred dollars ($100) per reimbursement request.

(D) The board shall not reimburse carrying costs that exceed 9 percent of the total amount of costs approved for the reimbursement to which the carrying costs apply.

(E) A claimant may submit a request for reimbursement of carrying costs after receipt of fund reimbursement for the corrective action costs, third-party compensation costs, or regulatory technical assistance costs to which the carrying costs apply. Additional carrying costs associated with a reimbursement request for carrying costs submitted pursuant to this paragraph are not eligible for payment.

(F) This paragraph does not apply to tank owners or operators that are not described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 25299.52.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2), “carrying cost” means the interest expense incurred by a claimant to acquire money to pay costs approved for reimbursement by the board but for which reimbursement is delayed because funds are unavailable.

(j) (1) The board shall pay a claim of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) per occurrence for regulatory technical assistance to an owner or operator who is otherwise eligible for reimbursement under this chapter, except that reasonable and necessary regulatory technical assistance costs associated with the electronic submission of documents to the fund using an electronic data system approved by the board shall not be subject to this limit.

(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, regulatory technical assistance is limited to assistance from a person, other than the claimant, in the preparation and submission of a claim to the fund. Regulatory technical assistance does not include assistance in connection with proceedings under Section 25296.40, 25299.39.2, or 25299.56 or any action in court.

(k) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the board shall pay a claim pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) for the costs of corrective action to a person who owns property on which is located a release from a petroleum underground storage tank that has been removed, if the site has been the subject of a completed corrective action, and for which additional corrective action is required because of additionally discovered contamination from the previous release.

(2) (A) The board shall pay a claim pursuant to this paragraph if the person who carried out the earlier and completed corrective action was eligible for, and applied for, reimbursement pursuant to subdivision (b).

(B) Reimbursement for additional corrective action shall be available only to the extent that the amount of reimbursement for the earlier corrective action did not exceed the amount of reimbursement authorized by subdivision (a).

(C) Reimbursement to a claimant on a reopened site pursuant to this paragraph shall occur when funds are available, and the reimbursement commitment shall be made ahead of any new letters of commitment to be issued, as of the date of the reopening of the claim, if funding has occurred on the original claim.

(D) If funding has not occurred on the original claim, funding shall occur at the time it would have occurred under the original claim.

(3) (A) The board may reimburse a claim pursuant to this paragraph if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(i) The person who carried out the earlier and completed corrective action did not apply for reimbursement pursuant to subdivision (b).

(ii) The person who owns the property is required to perform corrective action because of additionally discovered contamination.

(iii) The person who owns the property is the owner or operator of an underground storage tank located on the property at the time of application to the fund.

(iv) The person who owns the property is in compliance with the requirements to pay the fee pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40).

(v) The person who owns the property is in compliance with the requirements to obtain a permit pursuant to Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280).

(B) The board shall assign the person submitting a claim pursuant to this paragraph a priority ranking consistent with the categories described in Section 25299.52.

(C) The board shall limit reimbursement for a claim pursuant to this paragraph to the amounts described in Section 25299.59 and for the incurred corrective action costs that are necessary and reasonable.

(4) For purposes of this subdivision, a corrective action is completed when the local agency or regional board with jurisdiction over the site or the board issues a closure letter pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 25296.10.

(l) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (m), claims for reimbursement of corrective action costs that are received by the board more than 365 days after the date of issuance of a closure letter issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 25296.10 or after the issuance or activation of a letter of commitment, whichever occurs later, shall not be reimbursed unless either of the following applies:

(A) Claims for corrective action costs are submitted to the board pursuant to subdivision (k).

(B) The board finds that submission within the time period specified in this paragraph was beyond the claimant’s reasonable control, ongoing work is required for closure that will result in submission of claims beyond that time period, or that under the circumstances of the particular case, it would be unreasonable or inequitable to impose the time period specified in this paragraph.

(2) This section does not limit or abrogate the rights of a claimant in disputing reimbursement determinations or suspension of claims.

(3) For cases that have been issued a closure letter pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 25296.10 prior to January 1, 2012, the board shall notify claimants of the 365-day filing deadline specified in paragraph (1) on or before March 31, 2012, or upon issuance of a letter of commitment, whichever occurs later.

(m) (1) The board shall not reimburse a claim for reimbursement of a corrective action cost that is received by the board more than two years after the date the cost was incurred or more than two years after the date of the issuance or activation of a letter of commitment, whichever occurs later, except under one or both of the following conditions:

(A) The board may reimburse a claim for a cost incurred before January 1, 2015, by a claimant that has an active letter of commitment on January 1, 2015, that was received by the board on or before December 31, 2015, or within two years of the date the cost was incurred, whichever occurs later.

(B) The executive director finds that submission within the time period specified in this subdivision was beyond the claimant’s reasonable control or that, under the circumstances of the particular case, it would be unreasonable or inequitable to impose the time period specified in this subdivision.

(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, a cost is incurred on the date that the task to be paid for is completed.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 547, Sec. 16. (SB 445) Effective September 25, 2014. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 25299.81.)