This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the California Disaster Assistance Act.

Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this article govern the construction of this chapter.

“Local agency” means any city, city and county, county, county office of education, community college district, school district, or special district.

“Disaster” means a fire, flood, storm, tidal wave, earthquake, terrorism, epidemic, or other similar public calamity that the Governor determines presents a threat to public safety.

“Project” means the repair or restoration, or both, other than normal maintenance, or the replacement of, real property of a local agency used for essential governmental services, including, but not limited to, buildings, levees, flood control works, channels, irrigation works, streets, roads, bridges, highways, and other public works, that are damaged or destroyed by a disaster. “Project” also includes those activities and expenses allowed under subdivisions (a), (c), (d), and (e) of Section 8685. Except as provided in Section 8686.3, the completion of all or part of a project prior to application for funds pursuant to this chapter shall not disqualify the project or any part thereof.

“Project application” means the written application made by a local agency to the director for state financial assistance, which shall include all damage to public real property that resulted from a disaster within the total jurisdiction of the local agency making application and other activities and expenses as allowed in Section 8685.

“Director” means the Director of Emergency Services.

“State agency” means the Department of Transportation, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of General Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Finance, or other state agency or office including, but not limited to, the University of California. The Department of Transportation’s area of responsibility concerns streets, roads, bridge and mass transit repairs. The Department of Water Resources’ area of responsibility concerns dams, levees, flood control works, channels, irrigation works, and other similar projects. The Department of General Services’ area of responsibility concerns buildings, sewer, water systems, and district road and access facility construction, alteration, repair and improvement thereof, and all other projects. The director shall assign applications to the appropriate agencies for investigation.

“Local emergency” means a condition of extreme peril to persons or property proclaimed as such by the governing body of the local agency affected, in accordance with Section 8630.