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<section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="9-2013" effective_note="EFFECTIVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2027 PER CHAPTER 577 OF 2022" title_number="9" title_name="Miscellaneous Executive Agencies" subtitle_number="20" subtitle_name="Maryland Energy Administration">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Fund” means the Mechanical Insulation Installation Grant Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Mechanical insulation” means insulation materials, facings, and accessory products used for thermal requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and cold applications, and heating, ventilation, and air–conditioning applications.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Minimum ASHRAE standard” means the minimum American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air–Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard 90.1–2019 (Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low–Rise Residential Buildings).</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Program” means the Mechanical Insulation Installation Grant Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Qualified expenses” means a capital investment of at least $10,000 for the installation of mechanical insulation, in a manner that complies with the minimum ASHRAE standard in effect at the time of the investment, on a commercial or industrial property in the State.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Qualified expenses” includes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>amounts paid for the purchase of mechanical insulation installed on the property; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>labor costs paid for the preparation, assembly, and installation of mechanical insulation on the property.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>“Qualified expenses” does not include capital investments for the installation of mechanical insulation that are required by statute, regulation, or code.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Mechanical Insulation Installation Grant Program in the Administration.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and business entities for a portion of the qualified expenses paid or incurred to install mechanical insulation on a commercial or industrial property.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Administration shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>administer the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>establish application procedures for the Program; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>award grants from the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Subject to the availability of money in the Fund, an individual, a nonprofit organization, or a business entity may apply for a grant under the Program for qualified expenses paid or incurred to install mechanical insulation on a commercial or industrial property.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A grant awarded under the Program may not exceed the lesser of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>30% of the total amount of qualified expenses paid or incurred by the applicant; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>$20,000.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Mechanical Insulation Installation Grant Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Administration shall administer the Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Fund may be used only for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>providing grants under the Program to eligible applicants; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>administrative costs of the Program.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <level label="i">
        <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="ii">
        <text>Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the General Fund of the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Administration shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
