(c) To qualify as a green community, a municipality or other local governmental body shall:

1. (1) file an application with the division in a form and manner to be prescribed by the division;
2. (2) provide for the as-of-right siting of renewable or alternative energy generating facilities, renewable or alternative energy research and development facilities, or renewable or alternative energy manufacturing facilities in designated locations;
3. (3) adopt an expedited application and permitting process under which these energy facilities may be sited within the municipality and which shall not exceed 1 year from the date of initial application to the date of final approval;
4. (4) establish an energy use baseline inventory for municipal buildings, vehicles and street and traffic lighting, and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce this baseline by 20 per cent within 5 years of initial participation in the program;
5. (5) purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable; and (6) require all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to minimize, to the extent feasible, the life-cycle cost of the facility by utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation and other renewable or alternative energy technologies. The secretary may waive these requirements based on a written finding that due to unusual circumstances, a municipality cannot reasonably meet all of the requirements and the municipality has committed to alternative measures that advance the purposes of the green communities program as effectively as adherence to the requirements.

(d) Funding for the green communities program in any single fiscal year shall be available, without the need for further appropriation, in a total amount of not more than $20,000,000 from:

1. (1) monies generated by all cap and trade pollution control programs, including, but not limited to, the cap and trade program established under the NOx Allowance Trading Program and the carbon dioxide allowance trading mechanism established under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as defined in subsection (a) of section 22 of chapter 164;
2. (2) such amounts as may be directed to municipalities or other governmental bodies under section 19 of chapter 25;
3. (3) amounts from alternative compliance payments established and administered under 225 CMR 14.00 adopted under section 11F; and (4) other funds as the governing board of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund established under section 9 of chapter 23J, may provide.