In implementing this part, the department may do 1 or more of the following:

    (a) Make, execute, and deliver contracts, conveyances, and other instruments necessary or convenient for the implementation of this part.

    (b) Solicit and accept gifts, grants, loans, allocations, appropriations, and other aid, including capitalization grant awards, from any person or the federal, state, or a local government or any agency of the federal, state, or local government, enter into agreements with any person or the federal, state, or a local government, or participate in any other way in any federal, state, or local government program consistent with this part and the purposes of this part.

    (c) Expend federal and state money allocated under the federal safe drinking water act for any of the following purposes, in accordance with that act:

    (i) Fund activities authorized under section 1452(g)(2) of the federal safe drinking water act, 42 USC 300j-12, which may include fund administration and the provision of set-asides annually identified as part of an intended use plan.

    (ii) Fund implementation of a technical assistance program created in Act 399 and used by the state to provide technical assistance to public water systems serving not more than 10,000 persons.

    (iii) Fund activities authorized under section 1452(k) of the federal safe drinking water act, 42 USC 300j-12, which may include the lending of money for certain source water protection efforts, assisting in the implementation of capacity development strategies, conducting source water assessments, and implementing wellhead protection programs.

    (d) Negotiate and enter into agreements and amendments to agreements with the federal government to implement establishment and operation of the fund, including capitalization grant agreements and schedules of payments.

    (e) Employ personnel as is necessary, and contract for the services of private consultants, managers, counsel, auditors, engineers, and scientists for rendering professional management and technical assistance and advice.

    (f) Charge, impose, and collect fees and charges in connection with any transaction authorized under this part and provide for reasonable penalties for delinquent payment of fees or charges.

    (g) Review and approve all necessary documents in a water supplier‘s application for assistance and issue an order authorizing assistance to the authority.

    (h) Promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this part and to exercise the powers expressly granted in this part.

    (i) Administer, manage, and do all other things necessary or convenient to achieve the objectives and purposes of the fund, the authority, this part, or other state and federal laws that relate to the purposes and responsibilities of the fund.

    (j) Apply for a capitalization grant and prepare, submit, and certify any required or appropriate information with that application.

    (k) Establish priority lists and fundable ranges for projects and the scoring criteria and methods used to determine the distribution of the funds available to the fund among the various types of assistance to be offered and select projects to be funded.

    (l) Prepare and submit an annual intended use plan and an annual report as required under the federal safe drinking water act. The department shall annually invite stakeholders including, but not limited to, representatives of water utilities, local units of government, agricultural interests, industry, public health organizations, medical organizations, environmental organizations, consumer organizations, and drinking water consumers who are not affiliated with any of the other represented interests, to 1 or more public meetings to provide recommendations for the development of the annual intended use plan as it relates to the set-asides allowed under the federal safe drinking water act. The intended use plan must describe and identify all of the following:

    (i) Additional subsidization that will be allocated to projects.

    (ii) The projects that will receive additional subsidization identified under subparagraph (i).

    (iii) The reasons why a project will receive additional subsidization.

    (m) Perform other functions necessary or convenient for the implementation of this part.