Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Salton Sea restoration.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that moneys collected pursuant to the market-based compliance mechanism be appropriated to include certain priorities, including air toxic and criteria air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources. Existing Law establishes the Salton Sea Restoration Fund and requires the funds to be administered by the Director of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law requires the moneys deposited in the fund to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for various purposes relating to the restoration of the Salton Sea. This bill would include pollutants from the Salton Sea as air toxic and criteria air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources for purposes of the priorities established in the above-described statement of intent of the Legislature. The bill would require, if moneys are appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for the Salton Sea ecosystem as a priority, that those moneys be deposited into the Salton Sea Restoration Fund.