§10154. PACE programs

1.  Establishment; funding.  The trust or a municipality that has adopted a PACE ordinance may establish a PACE program funded by funds awarded to the State under the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program or by any other funds available for this purpose. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after July 1, 2010, the trust may use funds from its administrative fund or program funds to pay reasonable administrative expenses of the trust or a municipality incurred to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

[PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

2.  Program administration; municipal participation and liability.  A PACE program must be administered as follows.

A. A municipality that has adopted a PACE ordinance may:

(1) Administer the functions of a PACE program, including, but not limited to, entering into PACE agreements with property owners and collecting PACE assessments; or

(2) Enter into a contract with the trust to administer some or all functions of the PACE program for the municipality.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

B. The trust may enter into contracts with municipalities that have adopted PACE ordinances to administer PACE program functions in such municipalities.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, municipal officers and municipal officials, including, without limitation, tax assessors and tax collectors, are not personally liable to the trust or to any other person for claims, of whatever kind or nature, under or related to a PACE program established under subsection 1, including, without limitation, claims for or related to uncollected PACE assessments.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

D. Other than the fulfillment of its obligations specified in a PACE agreement, a municipality has no liability to a property owner for or related to energy savings improvements financed under a PACE program.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

[PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

3.  Quality assurance system.  Subject to the availability of funds, the trust shall, within 9 months of the establishment of a PACE program under subsection 1, adopt by rule a comprehensive quality assurance system for the PACE program. In developing a quality assurance system under this subsection, the trust must consult with industry stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of energy efficiency programs, contractors and environmental, energy efficiency and labor organizations.

[PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

4.  Terms and conditions.  The trust may, by rule, establish terms and conditions under which municipalities and property owners may participate in a PACE program established under subsection 1, which may include, but are not limited to, terms and conditions related to program design, implementation and administration, cost sharing, collection of PACE assessments, establishment of PACE mortgages, recording of liens and management of federal grant funds and terms and conditions to ensure the collection of data required to quantify carbon savings and to facilitate access to and eligibility for voluntary carbon markets, for federal grants for energy efficiency and for other incentive programs that support energy savings improvements.

A. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection may incorporate any federal standard, quality control measure or other requirement established for federal energy efficiency programs as long as the standard, measure or requirement is consistent with the quality assurance system adopted under subsection 3.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

B. The trust may vary the terms and conditions established under this subsection applicable to a participating municipality from those of other participating municipalities by mutual agreement with that municipality.   [PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

[PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

5.  Model documents; educational materials.  Subject to the availability of funds, the trust shall develop and provide to municipalities model PACE ordinances, model PACE agreements, other model forms and documents and educational materials for use by municipalities in the implementation of PACE programs.

[PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2009, c. 591, §1 (NEW).