Section 40973.

(a) The regional agency, and not the cities or counties that are member agencies of the regional agency, may be responsible for compliance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 41780) of Chapter 6 if specified in the agreement pursuant to which the regional agency is formed.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 41782, except as provided in subdivision (c), if a regional agency has been specified in the regional agency formation agreement as the responsible party for compliance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 41780) of Chapter 6 of Part 1, neither the regional agency nor any member jurisdiction of the regional agency shall be eligible for a reduction of the diversion requirements of Section 41780.

(c) The regional agency may be eligible for a reduction of diversion and planning requirements if all member jurisdictions of a regional agency are rural cities or rural counties, as defined, respectively, in Sections 40183 and 40184.

(d) The regional agency may be eligible for a reduction of planning requirements if all member jurisdictions of a regional agency are cities located in both a rural area and a rural county, as defined in Section 40184, and an unincorporated portion of a county.

(e) (1) If, pursuant to subdivision (a), a regional agency is specified in the regional agency formation agreement as the responsible party for compliance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 41780) of Chapter 6, the regional agency shall not be comprised of more than two counties and all of the cities within those two counties, except as otherwise authorized by the board.

(2) The board may authorize the formation of a regional agency that exceeds two counties and all of the cities within those two counties, for purposes of compliance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 41780) of Chapter 6, if the board finds that the formation of the regional agency will not adversely affect compliance with this part.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 600, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2000.)