(a) Any eligible county or city desiring State aid for local environmental conservation activities shall submit an application therefor to the commissioner by November 1 of the year preceding the calendar year for which funds are so requested.

(b) State aid applications shall be accompanied by a detailed program plan in a form acceptable to the commissioner, consisting of:

(c) The commissioner shall review and approve State aid applications based upon:

(d) Prior to the commencement of the calendar year, the commissioner shall notify each applicant of his approval or disapproval of its State aid application, or any significant change therein, and shall indicate the approximate rate of reimbursement based upon the budget request of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

(e) As soon as practicable during the first calendar quarter, each applicant shall notify the commissioner of any significant change in the program plan resulting from action by the local legislative body in either reducing or increasing appropriations for environmental conservation activities. Where, in the commissioner's judgment, such changes materially alter the locality's capability to maintain a satisfactory level of effort in any or all functional categories, the commissioner may in his discretion reduce or withhold altogether State aid to such locality.

(f) As soon as practicabe, the commissioner shall notify each applicant of any significant change in the anticipated rate of reimbursement resulting from action by the State Legislature either reducing or increasing the appropriation for local assistance for environmental conservation activities.