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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="9-1604" title_number="9" title_name="Water, Ice, and Sanitary Facilities" subtitle_number="16" subtitle_name="Maryland Water Infrastructure Financing Administration">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this subtitle, but subject to such rules or program directives as the Secretary may from time to time prescribe, the Administration may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Adopt and alter an official seal;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Sue and be sued, plead, and be impleaded;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Adopt bylaws, rules, and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Maintain an office at such place as the Secretary may designate;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, employ consultants, accountants, attorneys, financial experts, and other personnel and agents as may be necessary in its judgment, and fix their compensation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Establish regulations, criteria, or guidelines with respect to loans, loan agreements, loan obligations, grants, grant agreements, and grant obligations;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Receive and accept from any source, private or public, contributions, grants, or gifts of money or property;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Enter into contracts of any kind, and execute all instruments necessary or convenient with respect to carrying out the powers in this subtitle to accomplish the purposes of the Administration;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>Make loans, enter into loan agreements, and accept and enforce loan obligations;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>Award grants, enter into grant agreements, and accept and enforce grant obligations;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>Subject to the prior approval of the Board and the Secretary, issue bonds under this subtitle; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>Do all acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers granted by this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with the State budget, the Administration may set the compensation of an Administration employee in a position that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Is unique to the Administration;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Requires specific skills or experience to perform the duties of the position; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Does not require the employee to perform functions that are comparable to functions performed in other units of the Executive Branch of State government.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Secretary of Budget and Management, in consultation with the Secretary, shall determine the positions for which the Administration may set compensation under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies to financial assistance provided by the Administration under:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Water Quality Fund;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Bay Restoration Fund;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The Biological Nutrient Removal Program; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Supplemental Assistance Program.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Administration shall ensure the fair and equitable distribution of financial assistance among wastewater treatment facilities with a design capacity of less than 500,000 gallons per day and wastewater treatment facilities with a design capacity of 500,000 gallons or more per day.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>It is the policy of the State that the maintenance and repair of source watersheds, including the conservation and restoration of forests and the installation and maintenance of blue infrastructure or green infrastructure that contributes to improved water quality, is eligible for the same forms of financial assistance as other water collection and treatment infrastructure.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
