130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 1367
H.P. 1001 House of Representatives, April 7, 2021
An Act To Create a Grant Program To Promote Innovation in
Municipal Carbon Reduction Initiatives
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 5, 2021. Referred to the Committee on
Environment and Natural Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant
to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BAILEY of Gorham.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BLUME of York, BRENNAN of Portland, HARNETT of
Gardiner.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2 Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13056-I is enacted to read:
3 §13056-I. Maine Municipal Carbon Reduction Initiatives Program
4 1. Program established. The Maine Municipal Carbon Reduction Initiatives
5 Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established within the department
6 to provide grants to municipalities for technology and innovation projects that further the
7 goals of the climate action plan adopted under Title 38, section 577. Grants to any
8 municipality under the program are limited to $50,000 each during any state budget
9 biennium.
10 2. Fund established. The Maine Municipal Carbon Reduction Initiatives Fund,
11 referred to in this section as "the fund," is established as a nonlapsing fund within the
12 department.
13 3. Criteria; applications. The department shall solicit applications from
14 municipalities for grants from the fund through a competitive application process
15 established by the department by rule. The process must require that an application include,
16 at a minimum:
17 A. A description of a proposed technology and innovation project that will further the
18 goals of the climate action plan adopted under Title 38, section 577;
19 B. Data that demonstrates that the proposed project will reduce carbon emissions; and
20 C. A statement of project readiness.
21 4. Rulemaking. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as
22 defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
23 SUMMARY
24 This bill establishes the Maine Municipal Carbon Reduction Initiatives Program for
25 the purpose of providing competitive grants for towns and cities to help fund technology
26 and innovation projects that will reduce carbon emissions and that are in line with Maine's
27 climate action plan.
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