(1) Subject to appropriations, a materials management planning grant program is established to provide grants, to be known as materials management planning grants, to county boards of commissioners for the use of CAAs. If a county board of commissioners is not the CAA, the county board of commissioners shall make awarded grant money available to the CAA within 60 days after receipt. The department may promulgate rules for the implementation of the grant program. Grant funds shall be awarded pursuant to a grant agreement. If the department prepares the MMP, grant funds appropriated for local planning may be used by the department for MMP preparation.

  (2) Grants shall be used for administrative costs for preparing, implementing, and maintaining an MMP, including, but not limited to, the following:

  (a) Development of a work program as described in subsection (4)(b) and R 299.4704 and R 299.4705 of the MAC, including a prior work program.

  (b) Developing an initial MMP and amending the MMP.

  (c) Ensuring public participation.

  (d) Determining whether new materials management facilities are consistent with the MMP.

  (e) Collecting and submitting data for the database utilized by the department for materials management facility reporting purposes, and evaluating data in the database for the planning area.

  (f) Recycling education and outreach.

  (g) Recycling and materials utilization programs.

  (h) Preparation of required reports to the department.

  (i) MMP implementation.

  (j) Efforts to obtain support for the MMP and planning process from local units of government.

  (3) Materials management planning grants shall cover 100% of eligible costs up to the authorized maximum amount as specified by rule.

  (4) Materials management planning grants shall be awarded annually. To be eligible for grants in the first 3 years of the grant program, the CAA must do both of the following:

  (a) Submit a notice of intent to prepare an MMP under section 11571.

  (b) Within 180 days after submitting the notice of intent to prepare an MMP, submit to and obtain department approval of a work program for preparing the MMP. The work program shall be prepared by the DPA and reviewed and approved by the planning committee. The work program shall describe the activities for developing and implementing the MMP and associated costs to be covered by the county and the grant.

  (5) In each of the first 3 years of the grant program, the amount of a grant shall equal the sum of the following:

  (a) $60,000.00 for each county in the planning area.

  (b) An additional $10,000.00 for each county in the planning area if the planning area includes more than 1 county.

  (c) Fifty cents for each resident of the planning area, up to 600,000 residents.

  (6) To be eligible for grants in the fourth and subsequent years of the grant program, the county must have an approved work program under subsection (4) or an approved MMP. In the fourth and subsequent years of the grant program, the amount of a grant to the CAA shall equal the sum of the following, as applicable:

  (a) $60,000.00 for each county in the planning area.

  (b) An additional $10,000.00 for each county in the planning area if the planning area includes more than 1 county and the CAAs were responsible for preparing the MMP.

  (7) A grantee under this section shall keep records, subject to audit, documenting use of the grant for MMP development and implementation.

  (8) For the purpose of determining the number of counties in a planning area under this section, the inclusion or exclusion of a municipality under section 11571(4) shall not be considered.