§206. Establishment of fund






There is established a fund to encourage local soil and water conservation projects.
The fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated to it and any moneys received as
donations or from other sources. Moneys in this fund shall be disbursed periodically
by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on a competitive basis
to one or more of the soil and water conservation districts for the funding of innovative
soil and water conservation projects. Any balance in this fund, except moneys appropriated
by the State, shall not lapse, but shall be carried forward from year to year to be
expended for the purposes set forth in this subchapter. The Department of Agriculture,
Conservation and Forestry shall establish by rule criteria for project submission,
evaluation and selection. These criteria shall, among other factors, address priority
of need, boldness of approach, program feasibility and reproducibility and verification
of results. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may impose such
conditions on the use of funds awarded as in its judgment are best suited to accomplish
the purposes of this subchapter and insure that moneys awarded by the Department of
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry are properly spent by the districts. Any final
decision of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to fund a project
or to not fund a project shall constitute "final agency action" for purposes of Title
5, chapter 375, subchapter IV. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
shall submit an annual report on the status of the Challenge Grant Program to the
joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture
and audit and program review, as well as the Finance Authority of Maine for public
hearing and critique. [1985, c. 481, Pt. A, §20 (AMD); 1995, c. 532, §17 (AMD); 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]





SECTION HISTORY

1983, c. 522, (NEW).
1985, c. 481, §A20 (AMD).
1995, c. 532, §17 (AMD).
2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).