(a) There is established a greenways capital grant program that shall be administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Grants may be made to municipalities and other organizations for the purpose of providing matching funds to develop greenways, including, but not limited to, transportation-related greenways supported by the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, as amended from time to time. The amount of any grant shall be as follows: (1) For transportation greenways projects that are part of interstate greenways, not more than twenty per cent of the project cost; (2) for transportation greenways projects that are local spurs from interstate greenways or that are intertown greenways projects, not more than ten per cent of the project cost; and (3) for greenways that are not transportation greenways, not more than half of the capital costs of the project.

(b) There is established a greenways small grants program which shall be administered by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. The commissioner may, within available appropriations, make a grant to any municipality or any regional council of governments organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive, and nongovernmental organizations for planning, design and implementation of greenway projects. Any grant shall be not more than five thousand dollars and the total amount of all grants under this subsection shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars in any fiscal year. Land acquisition costs shall not be eligible for reimbursement with grants under this section.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement this section.