The department may enter into financial assistance grants only to the extent that funds are available. In making grants, the department shall consider the need for planning in a municipality or multimunicipal region, the proximity of the municipality or multimunicipal region to other areas that are conducting or have completed the planning process and the economic and geographic role of the municipality or multimunicipal region within a regional context. The department shall give priority in making grants to any municipality or multimunicipal region that has adopted a local climate action plan and, if the municipality or multimunicipal region has adopted a comprehensive plan or growth management program, prepared a climate vulnerability assessment. The department may consider other criteria in making grants, as long as the criteria support the goal of encouraging and facilitating the adoption and implementation of local and multimunicipal growth management programs consistent with the procedures, goals and guidelines established in this subchapter. In order to maximize the availability of the technical and financial assistance program to all municipalities, multimunicipal regions and regional councils, financial assistance programs administered competitively under this article are exempt from rules adopted by the Department of Administrative and Financial Services pursuant to Title 5, section 1825‑C for use in the purchase of services and the awarding of grants and contracts. The department shall publish a program statement describing its grant program and advertising its availability to eligible applicants. [PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP); PL 2025, c. 393, §35 (AMD).]
1. Planning assistance grants.
[PL 1993, c. 721, Pt. A, §8 (RP); PL 1993, c. 721, Pt. H, §1 (AFF).]
2. Implementation assistance grants.
[PL 1993, c. 721, Pt. A, §9 (RP); PL 1993, c. 721, Pt. H, §1 (AFF).]
2-A. Financial assistance grants.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
2-B. Use of funds.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
2-C. Program evaluation.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
2-D. Encumbered balances at year-end.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
3. Technical assistance.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
4. Regional council assistance.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
5. Coordination.
[PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. D, §35 (RP).]
5. Coordination. State agencies with regulatory or other authority affecting the goals established in this subchapter shall conduct their respective activities in a manner consistent with the goals established under this subchapter, including, but not limited to, coordinating with municipalities, regional councils and other state agencies in meeting the state goals; providing available information to municipalities and multimunicipal regions as described in rules adopted pursuant to section 4326, subsection 1; cooperating with efforts to integrate and provide access to geographic information system data; making state investments and awarding grant money as described in section 4349‑A; and conducting reviews of growth management programs as provided in section 4347‑A, subsection 3, paragraph A. Without limiting the application of this section to other state agencies, the following agencies shall comply with this subchapter:
A. [PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §20 (RP); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §41 (AFF).]
B. Department of Economic and Community Development; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
C. Department of Environmental Protection; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
D. Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]
E. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
F. Department of Marine Resources; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
G. Department of Transportation; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
G-1. Department of Health and Human Services; [PL 2001, c. 406, §8 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV).]
G-2. [PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §20 (RP); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §41 (AFF).]
H. Finance Authority of Maine; and [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
I. Maine State Housing Authority. [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. E, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 2025, c. 393, §36 (AMD).]
