(a) Each health risk assessment shall be submitted to the district. The district shall make the health risk assessment available for public review, upon request. After preliminary review of the emissions impact and modeling data, the district shall submit the health risk assessment to the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for review and, within 180 days of receiving the health risk assessment, the office shall submit to the district its comments on the data and findings relating to health effects. The district shall consult with the state board as necessary to adequately evaluate the emissions impact and modeling data contained within the risk assessment.

(b) For the purposes of complying with this section, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment may select a qualified independent contractor to review the data and findings relating to health effects. The office shall not select an independent contractor to review a specific health risk assessment who may have a conflict of interest with regard to the review of that health risk assessment. Any review by an independent contractor shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) Be performed in a manner consistent with guidelines provided by the office.

(2) Be reviewed by the office for accuracy and completeness.

(3) Be submitted by the office to the district in accordance with this section.

(c) The district shall reimburse the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment or the qualified independent contractor designated by the office pursuant to subdivision (b), within 45 days of its request, for its actual costs incurred in reviewing a health risk assessment pursuant to this section.

(d) If a district requests the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to consult with the district concerning any requirement of this part, the district shall reimburse the office, within 45 days of its request, for the costs incurred in the consultation.

(e) Upon designation of the high priority facilities, as specified in subdivision (a) of Section 44360, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment shall evaluate the staffing requirements of this section and may submit recommendations to the Legislature, as appropriate, concerning the maximum number of health risk assessments to be reviewed each year pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 92, Sec. 144. (SB 1289) Effective January 1, 2019.)