(a) These rules and regulations are promulgated pursuant to General Municipal Law, article 5-J, section 119-u-z, to implement the provisions of the law governing State aid for the preparation of comprehensive studies and reports concerning intermunicipal cooperative activity.

(b) This program is designed to foster cooperation among local governments so as to achieve stronger, well-managed units of local government that can furnish better administration and services to their citizens in the most economical, efficient and effective manner. It is further designed to encourage local initiative to recognize and to solve common problems by cooperative effort. Service needs increasingly cut across municipal boundaries in a mobile, changing and developing society. Increasing demands for funds from limited sources make a continual search for more effective service methods vital.

Cooperative activity means the joint efforts of two or more municipalities, as defined in General Municipal Law, section 119-v-(c) joining together to provide a municipal service or facility.