Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, § 3114-A: Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund, 2023

1. Creation. The Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is created under the jurisdiction and control of the department. [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] 2. Sources of money. The fund consists of the following: A. The annual payment from the cooperative required by section 3108‑A, subsection 2, paragraph B, subparagraph (5); and [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] B. All other money appropriated or allocated for inclusion in the fund, including money from any other public or private sources. [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] 3. Application of fund. Money in the fund must be used by the department to provide grants to persons to lease or purchase technology designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from trucking. A. The lease or purchase of technology designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from trucking using a grant from the fund is limited to automated beverage container counting, compacting and sorting systems capable of validating the count of beverage containers processed and compacting and sorting processed containers in preparation for pickup, including, but not limited to, reverse vending machines as well as activities associated with the installation of that technology, including, but not limited to, electrical system upgrades, building or infrastructure modifications and Internet connection to a central system administrator as necessary. [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] B. [PL 2023, c. 529, §5 (RP).] C. [PL 2023, c. 529, §5 (RP).] D. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, using money from the fund, the department shall provide reimbursement of beverage container costs or other financial losses to eligible distributors in accordance with section 3106, subsection 5‑A, paragraph D. This paragraph is repealed January 1, 2026. [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] E. A grant issued by the department from the fund must cover at least 25% of the anticipated cost of the technology leased or purchased as identified in the grant application. [PL 2023, c. 529, §5 (AMD).] F. The department shall administer the fund and, after consultation with the cooperative and its advisory group established pursuant to section 3107, subsection 3‑B, paragraph A, shall establish the application process and procedures for issuance of grants from the fund. The department shall consult with the cooperative and its advisory group in reviewing and approving grant applications submitted under this section. [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).] [PL 2023, c. 529, §5 (AMD).]