2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 38: WATERS AND NAVIGATION › Chapter 33: MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS OF BEVERAGE CONTAINERS › 38 §3114-A. Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund

§3114-A. Cost and Carbon Efficient Technology Fund
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 or to support activities designed to increase the use of reusable and refillable beverage containers and other reusable and refillable packaging in the State.
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. Activities designed to increase the use of reusable and refillable beverage containers and other reusable and refillable packaging in the State using a grant from the fund are limited to:
(1) Activities relating to the development and implementation of, including the purchase of necessary materials and supplies for, pilot projects to determine options for financially viable models for refillable beverage container washing techniques, including, but not limited to, mobile washing stations, shipment of containers to washing facilities outside the State, in-house washing stations and establishment of a fixed washing facility in the State;
(2) Development of or other activities relating to container, adhesive and label options for refillable beverage containers capable of being used by manufacturers of different types of beverages; and
(3) Outreach and education activities for manufacturers, retailers, restaurants and consumers regarding the financial and environmental benefits of refillable beverage containers and regarding the processes and methods available for ensuring such containers may be safely reused.   [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).]
C. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, using money from the fund, the department shall contract with a 3rd-party entity to complete a study by July 15, 2026 regarding the feasibility of achieving goals of 5% reusable, refillable beverage containers marketed in the State and 10% reusable, refillable beverage containers marketed in the State and to determine the infrastructure and investments that would be necessary to support those goals. The department shall include the results of the feasibility study, along with any additional comments or recommendations from the department, in the report required by section 3115, subsection 3 that is due February 15, 2027.   [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).]
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 or activities supported as identified in the grant application.   [PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).]
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. 482, §37 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2023, c. 482, §37 (NEW).