1.  Fund established.  The Dam Repair and Reconstruction Fund, referred to in this section as the "fund," is established within the department. The department shall administer the fund and make low-interest loans from the fund for purposes pursuant to this section. The department may seek assistance from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank in administering the fund.  

2.  Purposes.  The department may use the fund to provide low-interest loans to municipalities and quasi-municipal corporations or districts for engineering, legal and construction costs involved in acquiring title to, establishing a long-term management plan for, repairs to, reconstruction of, breaching of or removal of a dam or to pay emergency costs incurred for actions taken pursuant to section 1114. For the purposes of this section, "municipality" has the same meaning as set out in Title 30‑A, section 5903, subsection 7‑A and "quasi-municipal corporation or district" has the same meaning as set out in Title 30‑A, section 2351, subsection 4.  

3.  Rulemaking.  The department shall adopt rules to implement this section, including criteria and procedures for the application for and award of low-interest loans from the fund and for repayment of loans to the fund. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II‑A.  

4.  Nonlapsing.  Any balance in the fund at the end of the fiscal year may not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.