Section 16. Any city or town, which has a public shade tree inventory, not more than five years old, a public shade tree management plan approved by the state forester, and is in compliance with all requirements of law as well as any rules and regulations of the chief superintendent pertaining thereto, may apply to the bureau of shade tree management and pest control, hereinafter the bureau, for partial reimbursement of total expenditures made during the calendar year for the care, control and management of their public shade trees. Compensable activities include, but are not limited to, the planting, pruning, and removal of public shade trees. Any expenditures made for suppressing public nuisances as they affect public shade trees are excluded from the above.

Application for financial assistance as provided by the bureau must be received annually by the chief superintendent. Reimbursements shall not exceed fifty per cent of the expenditures made by the city or town and shall be based on a program of evaluation as may be adopted by said chief superintendent, with the approval of the commissioner.

Any city or town which has expended during the calendar year for the suppression of said public nuisances, an amount equal to its financial liability as provided in section fourteen, and has complied with the requirements of law and the rules and regulations of said chief superintendent pertaining thereto, may apply for assistance of the bureau in taking further measures for the control of said public nuisances. The value of such assistance shall not exceed fifty per cent of the expenditures made by the said city or town in excess of its financial liability as provided for in section fourteen.