(a)  Prior to adopting the program specified in subdivision (b) of Section 40448.5 and prior to expending any funds for any research, development, or demonstration program or project relating to vehicles or vehicle fuels, the south coast district shall do both of the following:

(1)  Adopt and include in the program a plan describing any proposed expenditure that sets forth the expected costs and qualitative as well as quantitative benefits of the proposed program or project.

(2)  Find that the proposed program and projects funded as part of the program will not duplicate any other past or present program or project funded by the state board, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, an air quality management district or air pollution control district, a public transit district or authority within the geographic jurisdiction of the south coast district, the San Diego Transit Corporation, the North County Transit District, the Sacramento Regional Transit District, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the Southern California Gas Company, the Southern California Edison Company, the San Diego Gas and Electric Company, or the Office of Mobile Sources within the Environmental Protection Agency. This paragraph is not intended to prevent funding for programs or projects jointly funded with another public or private agency where there is no duplication.

(b)  (1)  The Office of Technology Advancement shall provide notice to interested parties and the public at least 30 days prior to the annual public hearing at which the south coast district board or a committee of the board takes action to approve the clean-burning fuels program.

(2)  For the purpose of this subdivision, “interested parties” includes groups involved in research, development, and application of clean fuels technologies; public health and environmental organizations with expertise in air pollution related diseases and alternative energy technologies; relevant media; legislators, members of the county board of supervisors, and members of any city council that represent territory within the south coast district; and any member of the general public who has expressed interest in the program.

(c)  (1)  The south coast district shall establish an advisory group to make recommendations to the south coast district board regarding the clean-burning fuels program, technology advancement, and pollution reduction. The advisory group shall make recommendations regarding the most cost-effective projects that advance and implement clean fuels technology and improve public health.

(2)  The advisory group shall consist of 13 members with expertise in either clean fuels technology and policy or public health, or both. The members shall be appointed from scientific, academic, entrepreneurial, environmental, and public health communities.

(3)  The members of the advisory group shall adopt conflict-of-interest guidelines that prohibit a member from advocating an expenditure involving a project in which the member has a professional or an economic interest.

(4)  The south coast district shall consult with the advisory group regarding approval of the annual report required by subdivision (d). The results of that consultation shall be provided to the south coast district board prior to its approval of the report.

(d)  Notwithstanding § 7550.5 of the Government Code, on or before March 31 of each year that the clean-burning fuels program is in operation, the south coast district shall prepare and submit to the office of the Legislative Analyst and to the committees of the Legislature responsible for improving air quality a report that, at a minimum, includes all of the following:

(1)  A description of the core technologies that the south coast district considers critical to ensure the attainment and maintenance of national and state ambient air quality standards and a description of the efforts made to overcome barriers to commercialization of those technologies.

(2)  An analysis of the impact of the south coast district’s clean-burning fuels program on the private sector and on research, development, and commercialization efforts by major automobile and energy firms, as determined by the district.

(3)  A description of clean-burning fuels projects funded by the south coast district, including a list of recipients, subcontractors, cofunders, and matching state or federal funds, and a description of expected and actual results of each project in advancing and implementing clean fuels technology and improving public health.

(4)  The title and purpose of all projects undertaken pursuant to the clean-burning fuels program, the names of the contractors and subcontractors involved in each project, and the amount of money expended for each project.

(5)  A summary of the actual progress made toward the goals of the clean-burning fuels program.

(6)  Funding priorities identified for the next fiscal year and relevant audit information for previous, current, and future fiscal years covered by the report.

(e)  Within 120 days from the date of the conclusion of a program or project subject to subdivision (a) that is funded by the south coast district, the south coast district shall issue a public report that sets forth the actual costs of the program or project, the results achieved and how they compare with expected costs and benefits determined pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), and any problems that were encountered by the program or project.

(f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the south coast district may recover the costs of implementing this section from the revenues it receives for alternative fuel research, development, and demonstration pursuant to § 9250.11 of the Vehicle Code.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 36, Sec. 2. Effective June 8, 1999.)