The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a)
In November 2006, the voters approved the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality and Port Security Bond Act of 2006, also known as Proposition 1B, that, among other things, provided one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) to reduce emissions associated with the movement of freight along California’s trade corridors.
(b)
Proposition 1B requires these funds to be made available, upon appropriation by the Legislature and subject to the conditions and criteria provided by the Legislature, to the State Air Resources Board in order to reduce the emissions associated with goods movement.
(c)
Proposition 1B further required these funds to be made available for emission reductions not otherwise required by law or regulation. These funds are intended to supplement existing funds used to finance strategies that reduce emissions and public health risk associated with the movement of freight commencing at the state’s seaports and land ports of entry and transported through California’s trade corridors.
(d)
Tremendous growth in goods movement activity has created a public health crisis in communities located adjacent to ports and along trade corridors. It is the intent of the Legislature that these funds be expended in a manner that reduces the health risk associated with the movement of freight along California’s trade corridors.
(e)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the state board maximize the emission reduction benefits, achieve the earliest possible health risk reduction in heavily impacted communities, and provide incentives for the control of emission sources that contribute to increased health risk in the future.
(f)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the state board develop partnerships between federal, state, and private entities involved in goods movement to reduce emissions.
(g)
The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and procedures for the expenditure of these funds.