3792

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 796

shall equal the total cost of the project less the amount of any
Federal grant offer made therefor.

(3)  The Board of Public Works is authorized, in its
discretion and upon recommendation of the Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, to approve a State grant not to exceed 87-1/2
percent of the eligible cost of a project or part of a project,
if the Board finds (a) that the immediate initiation or
continuation of the project is critical to the public health or
to compliance with water quality standards of the State, and (b)
that a timely and sufficient Federal grant is not available for
the project or part of a project. In approving such grants, the
Board of Public Works shall make all reasonable efforts not to
jeopardize Federal grants for the remaining part of the projects.

(4)  The Secretary of the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene shall report on or before January 1 of each year
to the Governor and the General Assembly on the status of Bond
Funds for the construction of sewerage facilities under this and
previous Bond Authorization Acts. His report shall indicate
funds expended, funds committed, and funds remaining; and a list
of projects for which funds have been expended and are committed.
It shall also contain his projection of projects to be
constructed for the following two years for which grants are
anticipated.

SECTION 9. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1(3) of
Chapter 568 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1983, be and
it is hereby repealed and reenacted with amendments, to read as
follows:

Chapter 568 of the Acts of 1983

1.

(3) The actual cash proceeds of the sale of the bonds shall
be paid to the Treasurer and shall be first applied to the
payment of the expenses of issuing and delivering the bonds
unless funds for this purpose are otherwise provided and
thereafter shall be credited on the books of the State
Comptroller and expended, upon approval by the Board of Public
Works, for the following public purposes, including any
applicable architects' and engineers' fees;: to provide State
grants OR LOANS to assist in the construction and equipping of
sewage treatment plants and related facilities and in the
extension and improvement of existing public sanitary sewer
systems. A project involving any improvement to or enlargement
of sanitary sewerage facilities that are located outside the
State but are required to serve the State, one or more of its
political subdivisions, or one or more agencies of the State or
of one of its political subdivisions is eligible for a State
grant OR LOAN hereunder, if there is a written user's agreement
between the agency undertaking the project and the State, or
between the agency undertaking the project and the Maryland