Notwithstanding Section 25205.5, the department may adopt regulations exempting victims of disasters from the generation and handling fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.5. The regulations may allow that exemption if all of the following apply:

(a) The hazardous waste is generated in a geographical area identified in a state of emergency proclamation by the Governor pursuant to § 8625 of the Government Code because of fire, flood, storm, earthquake, riot, or civil unrest.

(b) The hazardous waste is generated when property owned or controlled by the victim is damaged or destroyed as a result of the disaster.

(c) The hazardous waste is not hazardous waste that is routinely produced as part of a manufacturing or commercial business or that is managed by a hazardous waste facility or a facility operated by a generator of hazardous waste who files a hazardous waste notification statement with the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 25158.

(d) The victim meets any other condition or limitation on eligibility specified by the department.

(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2022, and shall apply to the fees due for the 2022 reporting period and thereafter, including the prepayments due during the reporting period and the fee due and payable following the reporting period.

(Repealed (in Sec. 57) and added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 73, Sec. 58. (SB 158) Effective July 12, 2021. Operative January 1, 2022, by its own provisions.)