An Act establishing the Blue Communities Program

HD 1798 establishes the Blue Communities Program, providing grants and loans to municipalities and local governments that adopt specific actions to reduce nutrient pollution and ocean acidification in coastal waters, freshwater, and watersheds. To qualify, communities must implement five of nine required initiatives, such as fertilizer restrictions, rain barrel programs, shell collection systems, or water quality monitoring. The program is funded through offshore wind contributions, fertilizer sales tax, cap-and-invest programs, and other carbon-reduction revenues, with the executive office administering the program and prioritizing environmental justice communities. The bill mandates biennial reporting on program results and expenditures to the state legislature.