An Act To Incentivize Municipalities, State Agencies, Colleges and Universities To Use Electric Vehicles
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §10124 is enacted to read:
§ 10124. Electric vehicle incentive program
The trust shall, in accordance with this section, develop a program to provide grants to municipalities, state agencies, colleges and universities to support the purchase of charging stations for electric vehicles and the purchase of electric vehicles.
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Electric vehicle" means a car or other motor vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion.
B. "Eligible charging station" means a charging station for an electric vehicle that is made available for public use other than a standard 120-volt electrical outlet and includes but is not limited to a 240-volt charging station or a direct current charging station.
C. "Eligible entity" means a state agency, a municipality or a college or university located in this State.
D. "Fund" means the electric vehicle fund established in subsection 3.
E. "Program" means the electric vehicle incentive program established pursuant to this section.
2. Program design. Under the program, the trust may provide grants to eligible entities for the purchase and installation of one or more eligible charging stations or one or more electric vehicles. The trust shall establish procedures for eligible entities to apply for grants under this section and for choosing grantees and determining grant amounts. The program may provide grants for the full or partial cost of vehicles or charging stations and grants for the purpose of providing matching funds for or otherwise supplementing other state, federal or private funding.
3. Fund established. There is established the electric vehicle fund. The fund is a nonlapsing fund administered by the trust. The trust may seek and accept funding for the program from any source, public or private. Any funds accepted for use in the program must be deposited in the fund. Funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to be used for the purposes of this section. Any interest earned on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Efficiency Maine Trust to develop a program to provide grants to municipalities, state agencies, colleges and universities to support the purchase of charging stations for electric vehicles and the purchase of electric vehicles.