| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
|
| | | Sec. 1. 7 MRSA c. 8-E is enacted to read: |
|
| | | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT FUND |
|
| | | §251.__Agricultural Water Management Fund |
|
| | | 1.__Fund; established.__There is established the Agricultural | | Water Management Fund, referred to in this chapter as "the fund," | | which is a nonlapsing fund.__The commissioner may accept money | | for the fund from any public or private source and make | | expenditures from the fund for the purpose of improving the | | adoption of irrigation by agricultural businesses in the State. |
|
| | | 2.__Administration.__The commissioner shall administer the | | fund. |
|
| | | 3.__Rulemaking.__The commissioner shall adopt rules to carry | | out the purposes of this chapter.__All rules adopted pursuant to | | this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, | | chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. |
|
| | | 4.__Report.__The commissioner shall submit an annual report on | | March 1st to the joint standing committee of the Legislature | | having jurisdiction over agricultural matters.__The report must | | include a summary of funds available, use of the fund and the | | status of agricultural irrigation in the State. |
|
| | | This bill establishes a fund in the Department of Agriculture, | | Food and Rural Resources that would accept money from any source | | for the purpose of improving the adoption of irrigation for | | agricultural businesses. |
|
|
