Under the provisions of this article, a municipality or multimunicipal region may request financial or technical assistance from the department for the purpose of planning and implementing a growth management program. A municipality or multimunicipal region that requests and receives a financial assistance grant shall develop and implement its growth management program in cooperation with the department and in a manner consistent with the procedures, goals and guidelines established in this subchapter.   [PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §19 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §41 (AFF).]

To accomplish the purposes of this article, the department shall develop and administer a technical and financial assistance program for municipalities or multimunicipal regions. The program must include direct financial assistance for planning and implementation of growth management programs, standards governing the review of growth management programs by the department, technical assistance to municipalities or multimunicipal regions and a voluntary certification program for growth management programs.   [PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §19 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §41 (AFF).]