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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="2-1501" title_number="2" title_name="Department of Agriculture" subtitle_number="15" subtitle_name="Emerald Ash Borer Grant Fund">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Authorized equipment” means any equipment necessary for the management of forest land.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Authorized equipment” includes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Equipment necessary for the:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>Construction and staging of marshaling areas;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>Planting of trees; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>Removal of trees;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Vehicles capable of transporting harvested trees;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Wood chippers;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Materials required to administer approved products to ash trees planted in quarantined areas; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>Any other appropriate equipment, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Fund” means the Emerald Ash Borer Grant Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is an Emerald Ash Borer Grant Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants to local governments, businesses, and organizations to finance purchases of authorized equipment to remove, dispose of, and replace trees infested by the emerald ash borer:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>That are located within emerald ash borer quarantine areas; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In accordance with any applicable State or federal law, regulation, or quarantine.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Secretary shall administer the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>At the end of each fiscal year, any unspent or unencumbered balance in the Fund shall revert to the General Fund in accordance with § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any investment earnings of the Fund; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund may be used only to provide grants in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A grant provided in accordance with this section may not exceed the amount that the local government, business, or organization has appropriated to finance purchases of equipment to remove, dispose of, and replace infested trees located in areas designated under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any investment earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>The Secretary shall establish procedures for a person to apply for a grant from the Fund.</text>
  </level>
</section>
