The Secretary of State shall issue Maine Environmental Trust Fund registration plates beginning April 1, 1994 in accordance with this section. Environmental registration plates are not required for registration of a motor vehicle but are to allow citizens to participate voluntarily in the Maine Environmental Trust Fund program. A citizen may apply for environmental registration plates and contribute to the Maine Environmental Trust Fund as provided in this section. [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2(NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5(AFF).]
1.Issuance of environmental registration plates. The Secretary of State, upon receiving an application and evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, the registration fee required by this Title and the contribution to the Maine Environmental Trust Fund provided for in subsection 4, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of environmental registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates. The Secretary of State may issue environmental registration plates to a vehicle in any registration class if the designated registration plate for that class does not preclude its use in conjunction with the environmental registration plate design. The Secretary of State may issue environmental registration plates to certain state-owned vehicles in accordance with section 517. [1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §87(AMD); 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §153(AFF); 1995, c. 65, Pt. C, §15(AFF).]
2.Plate design; optional environmental vanity plates. The Secretary of State, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in consultation with the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters shall determine the plate design. The design must accommodate the use of numbers and letters as provided in section 453. Upon request and as provided by section 453, the Secretary of State shall issue environmental plates that are also vanity plates. Environmental vanity plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453. The Secretary of State may modify class codes and create unique identifiers for the purpose of expanding the program.
[2013, c. 496, §3(AMD).]
3.Temporary facsimile plate. The Secretary of State may issue a facsimile plate for temporary use up to a 60-day period until the permanent plate is received. The facsimile plate must be attached to the rear plate bracket. [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2(NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5(AFF).]
4.Initial contribution to Maine Environmental Trust Fund. In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed by law for the particular class of vehicle registered, the initial contribution for environmental registration plates is $20, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:A. Fourteen dollars to the Maine Environmental Trust Fund established in Title 12, section 10255; [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).]B. Five dollars to the Highway Fund for administrative and production costs; and [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).]C. One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469. [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).] [2007, c. 703, §2(AMD).]
4-A.Renewal fee. In addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee prescribed by law for the particular class of vehicle registered, the annual renewal contribution for environmental registration plates is $15, which must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited as follows:A. Fourteen dollars to the Maine Environmental Trust Fund established in Title 12, section 10255; and [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).]B. One dollar to the Specialty License Plate Fund established under section 469. [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).] [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).]
5.Reimbursement for production and issuance costs.[2007, c. 703, §2(RP).]
5-A.Transfer of fees. On a quarterly basis, the Secretary of State shall transfer the revenue from the issuance and renewal of the environmental registration plates to the Treasurer of State for deposit and crediting pursuant to subsections 4 and 4-A. [2007, c. 703, §2(NEW).]
6.Proceeds from sale of products using the environmental plate design. All proceeds from the sale of products using the environmental registration plate design must be deposited with the Treasurer of State and credited to the Maine Environmental Trust Fund. [1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §88(NEW); 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §153(AFF); 1995, c. 65, Pt. C, §15(AFF).]
Amended by 2014, c. 496,§ 3, eff. 7/31/2014.1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW) . 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF) . 1995, c. 65, §§A153,C15 (AFF) . 1995, c. 65, §§A87,88 (AMD) . 1995, c. 256, § 1 (AMD) . 1997, c. 437, § 7 (AMD) . 2003, c. 414, §B45 (AMD) . 2003, c. 414, §D7 (AFF) . 2003, c. 614, § 9 (AFF) . 2007, c. 703, § 2 (AMD) .