§ 9-16-102 — Energy impacted county roads program; creation, rulemaking

(a) The board shall establish and administer the energy
impacted county roads program as provided by this chapter.
Applications for a grant under the program shall be made on
forms prescribed by and subject to rules promulgated by the
board. Grants may be made by the board for energy impacted
county road projects.
(b) The board may award grants to stockpile material for
energy impacted county roads.
(c) In awarding grants, the board shall consider the
following:
(i) Whether the county's total proposed energy
impacted road projects exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the
average total annual county expenditures for its road and bridge
maintenance and construction expenditures for the preceding five
(5) years;
(ii) Whether the county has demonstrated that it has
pursued alternative methods of funding including cost sharing
from private sources;
(iii) That the funds will not supplant existing
funding levels from traditional sources.
(d) After review of the applications the board shall as
soon as practical notify the counties of its determination.
Energy impacted counties shall remain eligible for grants under
the program until the county no longer qualifies under
subsection (c) of this section.
(e) Each application submitted to the board under the
program shall contain only one (1) proposed energy impacted
county road project.
(f) No one county may be eligible to receive an amount in
excess of forty percent (40%) of the total funds available at
the beginning of the state's fiscal year, without unanimous
approval of the board.
(g) Upon completion of the projects, the county shall
report the expenditures of all funds.
(h) The legislature may define, specify, authorize or
limit the counties or areas within the state eligible for this
program and the amounts of distribution.
(j) Funds from this appropriation shall not be used to
hire more county employees.