The department shall establish a Research Advisory Committee, which shall consist of 11 members. The department shall provide for the support staff and meeting facility needs of the committee. The committee shall meet as necessary to review requests for research projects pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 116367. The committee members shall be appointed by the director and shall consist of the following members:

(a)  Four members representing public water systems.

(b)  Four members representing entities paying into the Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Trust Fund created pursuant to Section 25299.50.

(c)  One member representing environmental interest groups.

(d)  One member representing consumer interest groups.

(e)  One member representing the department.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 997, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999.)