Maryland Code, NATURAL RESOURCES 4-1102
Terms Used In Maryland Code, NATURAL RESOURCES 4-1102
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- state: means :
(1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or
(2) the District of Columbia. See
(b) If, after conducting a survey in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, the Department finds that any natural oyster bar is located incorrectly on existing charts or that the existing charts do not reflect the actual condition of submerged lands, the Department shall amend the existing charts or coordinates by regulation.
(c) (1) Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the Maryland Geological Survey, in conjunction with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, shall survey submerged areas of the State to map existing and potential oyster habitats in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.
(2) In selecting sites for surveying under this subsection, the Maryland Geological Survey and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science shall prioritize:
(i) Eastern Bay and its tributaries; and
(ii) Public fishery areas where there are likely to be shallowly buried shell deposits from previous repletion activities, identified in consultation with the Department, who shall consult with county oyster committees, and commercial oyster harvesters.
(3) To the extent practicable, surveys carried out under this subsection shall use sub-bottom profiling combined with physical sampling to quantify the total volume of subsurface shell material.
(4) (i) For fiscal years 2024 through 2026, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $2,000,000 to the Department to fund the surveys required under this subsection.
(ii) The Governor shall prioritize the use of federal funds for appropriations required under this paragraph.