Asbestos & Lead Paint Abatement Grant Program

The bill creates the rural housing and development asbestos and lead paint abatement pilot grant program (pilot grant program) in the department of public health and environment (department) to award grants, beginning July 1, 2025, to local governments in rural areas to offset costs associated with the abatement of asbestos and lead paint in housing, commercial buildings, and other development projects. To receive a grant, a local government must submit an application to the department. The application must:

• Describe a voluntary clean-up plan that satisfies existing statutory requirements concerning clean-up of hazardous materials; and
• Include an assessment of needs of rural communities.

The owner of any property that receives asbestos or lead paint abatement, the costs of which abatement are paid in full or in part by grant money from the pilot grant program, is ineligible to apply for a no action determination concerning the property.

A local government that receives a grant from the pilot grant program must either acquire any necessary permits from the air pollution control division before commencing asbestos or lead paint abatement or require any person that proceeds with asbestos or lead paint abatement on behalf of the local government to first acquire such permits.

The bill creates the rural housing and development asbestos and lead paint abatement fund (fund) in the state treasury. The fund consists of money generated from penalties and fines collected in association with violations of laws concerning hazardous materials and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The department may expend money in the fund to award grants.

The pilot grant program and the fund are repealed, effective July 1, 2027.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)