An Act To Support Replacement of At-risk Home Heating Oil Tanks
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§5, ¶¶N and O, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 319, §16, are amended to read:
N.
Sums up to $500,000 annually to retrofit, repair, replace or remove aboveground oil storage tanks or facilities when the commissioner determines that action is necessary to abate an imminent threat to a groundwater restoration project, a public water supply or a sensitive geologic area, including coastal islands and peninsulas. Money available under this paragraph may be disbursed by the department to pay reasonable costs actually incurred by municipalities in assisting the department in taking actions under this paragraph. Money available under this paragraph may also be used by the department to fund educational efforts that encourage the retrofit, repair, replacement or removal of aboveground oil storage tanks or facilities. Money may not be disbursed from the fund for the purposes of this paragraph until the department has presented a plan for such disbursements to the Clean-up and Response Fund Review Board. Money may not be disbursed from the fund under this paragraph unless the department has adopted a written policy in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act establishing:
(1) Criteria for determining those instances when funds should be disbursed under this paragraph, including criteria for determining what constitutes a sensitive geologic area;
(2) Guidelines that ensure that money disbursed from the fund under this paragraph will be used in the most cost-effective manner, considering the likelihood of actual contamination of water supplies absent action taken pursuant to this paragraph, the costs of remediation of such contamination and the possibility that the owner of an aboveground oil storage tank or facility would retrofit, repair, replace or remove the tank at the owner's own expense;
(3) Guidelines for payments to municipalities for reasonable administrative costs actually incurred by municipalities in assisting the department in taking actions under this paragraph;
(4) A means test for eligibility for disbursements from the fund;
(5) A deductible that is adjusted according to the financial means of the person receiving a disbursement; and
(6) Limits for eligibility to residents of this State; and
O. Sums up to $2,000,000 annually to distribute to community action agencies as defined in Title 22, section 5321, subsection 2 for loans and grants to retrofit, repair, replace or remove aboveground and underground oil storage tanks and associated piping at single-family residences. Money may not be disbursed from the fund for the purposes of this paragraph until the department has presented a plan for such disbursements to the Clean-up and Response Fund Review Board. A community action agency shall administer the funds in accordance with program operating standards, including the allocation formula established by the Maine State Housing Authority for its weatherization program. Sums available under this paragraph may be disbursed by the department to pay reasonable costs actually incurred by a community action agency in providing services pursuant to this paragraph. Money may not be disbursed from the fund under this paragraph unless the department has adopted a written policy in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act establishing guidelines for payments to community action agencies for reasonable administrative costs actually incurred by community action agencies in providing services pursuant to this paragraph . ; and
Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §551, sub-§5, ¶P is enacted to read:
P. Sums of up to $500,000 annually for loans and grants for department-approved rebate programs to retrofit, repair, replace or remove aboveground and underground oil storage tanks and associated piping at residential dwellings.
summary
This bill increases opportunities for property owners to replace at-risk home heating oil tanks by authorizing money in the Maine Ground and Surface Waters Clean-up and Response Fund to be disbursed for loans and grants for department-approved rebate programs to retrofit, repair, replace or remove aboveground and underground oil storage tanks and associated piping at residential dwellings.