(a)  Upon the written request of any person, the department may enter into an agreement with that person pursuant to which the department will perform consultative services for the purpose of providing assistance to the person, or any facility owned or operated by the person, in complying with this chapter, Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), and any regulations adopted pursuant to those provisions. The agreement shall require the person to reimburse the department for its costs of performing the consultative services pursuant to Article 9.2 (commencing with Section 25206.1). The agreement may provide for some or all of the reimbursement to be made in advance of the performance of the consultative services.

(b)  The consultative services performed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be over and above the routine functions of the department, and may include, but need not be limited to, onsite inspections, regulation and compliance training, and technical consultation.

(c)  Any reimbursement received for assistance in complying with this chapter pursuant to this section shall be placed in the Hazardous Waste Control Account for disbursement in accordance with Section 25174. Any reimbursement received for assistance in complying with Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) shall be deposited in the Toxic Substances Control Account for expenditure in accordance with Section 25173.6.

(d)  The consultative services shall be provided subject to available staff and resources as determined by the department, and may include, but need not be limited to, onsite inspections, regulation and compliance training, and technical consultation.

(e)  In scheduling limited onsite inspections, priority shall be given to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

(f)  (1)  The staff of the department providing consultation pursuant to this section shall not initiate an administrative or civil enforcement action, except as specified in subdivision (g), for violations identified during a limited onsite inspection conducted pursuant to an agreement at a facility which does not require a permit pursuant to the federal act.

(2)  The staff of the department shall require the owner or operator to correct any identified deficiencies and violations in accordance with a schedule for compliance or correction issued by the department.

(g)  If class I violations, as defined in regulations adopted by the department, are identified during a limited onsite inspection, or an owner or operator refuses or fails to correct any deficiencies or violations within the timeframe specified in the schedule for compliance or correction issued by the department pursuant to subdivision (f), the department may undertake any further inspection, investigation, or enforcement action authorized by law.

(h)  The failure of the department to discover any particular deficiencies or violations during a limited onsite inspection shall not preclude the department, or any other agency, from undertaking a subsequent enforcement action to address any deficiencies or violations should they be discovered at a later time.

(i)  Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of the department to refer criminal violations to the Attorney General, a district attorney, a county counsel, or a city attorney.

(j)  Other than as expressly provided in this section, nothing in this section is intended to limit or restrict the authority of the department under any other provision of this division.

(k)  This section shall become operative only if the department adopts regulations defining “class I violations.”

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 870, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 1998. Operative July 1, 1998, by Sec. 54 of Ch. 870.)