(a)
The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program is hereby created to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility, with a priority on serving disadvantaged communities.
(b)
Funding for the program is continuously appropriated pursuant to Section 39719 of the Health and Safety Code from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund established pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code.
(c)
Funding shall be allocated by the Controller consistent with the requirements of this part and with Section 39719 of the Health and Safety Code, upon a determination by the
Department of Transportation that the expenditures proposed by a transit agency meet the requirements of this part and guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (f), and the amount of funding requested that is currently available.
(d)
Moneys for the program shall be expended to provide transit operating or capital assistance that meets all of the following criteria:
(1)
Expenditures supporting new or expanded bus or rail services, new or expanded water-borne transit, or expanded intermodal transit facilities, and may include equipment acquisition, fueling, and maintenance, and other costs to operate those services or facilities.
(2)
The recipient transit agency demonstrates that each expenditure
directly enhances or expands transit service to increase mode share.
(3)
The recipient transit agency demonstrates that each expenditure reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
(e)
For transit agencies whose service areas include disadvantaged communities as identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, at least 50 percent of the total moneys received pursuant to this chapter shall be expended on projects or services that meet requirements of subdivision (d) and benefit the disadvantaged communities, consistent with the guidance developed by the State Air Resources Board pursuant to Section 39715 of the Health and Safety Code.
(f)
The Department of Transportation, in coordination with the State Air
Resources Board, shall develop guidelines that describe the methodologies that recipient transit agencies shall use to demonstrate that proposed expenditures will meet the criteria in subdivisions (d) and (e) and establish the reporting requirements for documenting ongoing compliance with those criteria.
(g)
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the development of guidelines for the program pursuant to this section.
(h)
A transit agency shall submit the following information to the Department of Transportation before seeking a disbursement of funds pursuant to this part:
(1)
A list of proposed expense types for anticipated funding levels.
(2)
The documentation required by the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (f) to demonstrate compliance with subdivisions (d) and (e).
(i)
Before authorizing the disbursement of funds, the department, in coordination with the State Air Resources Board, shall determine the eligibility, in whole or in part, of the proposed list of expense types, based on the documentation provided by the recipient transit agency to ensure ongoing compliance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (f).
(j)
The department shall notify the Controller of approved expenditures for each transit agency, and the amount of the allocation for each transit agency determined to be available at that time of approval.
(k)
The recipient transit agency shall provide annual reports to the Department of Transportation, in the format and manner prescribed by the department, consistent with the internal administrative procedures for use of fund proceeds developed by the State Air Resources Board.
(l)
The Department of Transportation and recipient transit agencies shall comply with the guidelines developed by the State Air Resources Board pursuant to Section 39715 of the Health and Safety Code to ensure that the requirements of Section 39713 of the Health and Safety Code are met to maximize the benefits to disadvantaged
communities as described in Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.