The Department shall review and approve or disapprove within 45 days of receipt each program of proposed expenditures and services submitted by any participant. Notwithstanding the above, in the event the Department is prevented from processing applications or certifying that a participant meets the requirements of this Section due to extraordinary circumstances beyond its control, the certification deadline for that application shall be stayed until the Department is able to process and certify the same. Notice from the Department, as well as an explanation of the extraordinary circumstances, shall be provided to each participant affected by such delay. The Department may disapprove a program of proposed expenditures and services or portions thereof only for the following reasons:

1. (a) A finding that expenditures are proposed for projects or purposes which are not in compliance with Section 2-5; or
2. (b) A finding that expenditures are proposed for projects or purposes which are in conflict with established comprehensive transportation plans for a participant or a region of which it is a part; or
3. (c) In Fiscal Year 1980, with regard to the participants which have not received State operating assistance prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1979, a finding by the Department that a proposed program submitted by such participant or any portion thereof is not in the public interest in that levels or kinds of service proposed exceeds the reasonable needs of the community served by such participant as demonstrated in the transportation development plan for such community or other studies and information available to the Department.

(from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 671)

(Source: P.A. 102-626, eff. 8-27-21.)