(A) There is established a Superb Advisory Committee to study the implementation and administration of the Superb program, including the Superb Account, the Superb Financial Responsibility Fund, and the regulatory requirements applicable to underground storage tanks; to make recommendations to the department and the General Assembly on ways to improve the efficiency of the program and to maximize available funds; and to advise the department on administration of the program.

(B) The members of the committee must be appointed before August 1, 1994.

(C) The committee shall consist of fourteen members, appointed by the commissioner of the department as follows:

(1) one member representing the general public;

(2) two members representing environmental organizations;

(3) one member representing the South Carolina Petroleum Council;

(4) one member representing the South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association;

(5) one member representing the South Carolina Service Station Dealers Association;

(6) one member representing the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce;

(7) one member representing the South Carolina Bankers Association;

(8) one member representing a business that specializes in the assessment or remediation, or both, of contamination resulting from leaking underground storage tanks;

(9) one member representing the South Carolina Department of Insurance;

(10) one member representing the Department of Health and Environmental Control;

(11) one member representing the State Department of Administration, Division of General Services;

(12) one member representing the Municipal Association of South Carolina; and

(13) one member representing the South Carolina Association of Counties.

(D) The committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) to conduct an initial review of the management of the Superb Program and the Superb Financial Responsibility Fund and the availability of funds in the account and the fund and thereafter to monitor the management of the account and the fund;

(2) to determine the success of the Superb program in achieving its statutory purpose of providing a means for the investigation and cleanup of spills, leaks, and other discharges from underground storage tanks without delay, which determination shall include a list of all sites cleaned up pursuant to the Superb program;

(3) to review the administration of the Superb program and to determine the feasibility and desirability of maintaining or separating the function of environmental regulation from the function of administering the Superb Account and Superb Financial Responsibility Fund;

(4) to make recommendations on the development of regulations for prioritizing sites;

(5) to make recommendations on the development of regulations establishing reasonable site-specific cleanup goals and utilizing risk-based goals for corrective action;

(6) to review the financial solvency of the Superb Account and to examine and make recommendations regarding alternative funding mechanisms;

(7) to review the interaction between the Federal Trust Fund and the Superb Account;

(8) to review and provide recommendations on standards and procedures to reduce time and costs to achieve site cleanup in a high quality and efficient manner;

(9) to study and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of utilizing a competitive bidding process in any or all stages of the Superb program;

(10) to study and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of the State's contracting with private entities to provide services for the program, such as having private insurers process compensation applications;

(11) to make recommendations regarding actions the department could take to facilitate commercial lending activity involving Superb-qualified sites and;

(12) to make recommendations regarding the development of an appeals process for those owners or operators who are denied access to the Superb fund because they were found not to be in substantial compliance under Section 44-2-40(B).

(E) Members of the committee shall serve for terms of two years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. The committee shall selection a chairman and vice-chairman. The committee shall adopt operating procedures, including attendance requirements. A majority of the members constitute a quorum to do business. The committee shall meet on the call of the chairman or of a majority of the members; however, the committee shall meet at least monthly before the date that its initial report required by subsection (F) is due. The department shall provide the necessary staff and the administrative facilities and services to the committee and shall cooperate fully with the committee, including providing information necessary for the committee to perform its functions.

(F) Not later than December 16, 1994, the committee shall submit a report to the department and General Assembly addressing the issues identified in subsection (D) of this section. The report shall include recommendations for any statutory changes that the committee determines should be made in the Superb program and recommendations regarding regulations required to be promulgated pursuant to Section 44-2-50(B).

(G) Following its initial report, the committee shall submit to the department and the General Assembly by the end of each calendar year an annual report which, at a minimum, shall address the financial status and viability of the Superb Account and the Superb Financial Responsibility Fund, the number of sites successfully remediated pursuant to the Superb program, the number of sites remaining to be remediated, and any statutory or regulatory changes that the committee recommends.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, Section 80B.