242/Maryland Manual
The MES corporation is governed by a three-
member Board of Directors consisting of a Direc-
tor, a Secretary, and a Treasurer who are appoin-
ted by the Secretary of Natural Resources with
the approval of the Governor. As a public utility
enterprise, the Service may plan, finance, con-
struct, operate, and maintain liquid and solid
waste management systems and water supply fa-
cilities. The Service is a nationally-recognized
leader in the field of resource recovery.
In 1980, MES operated over 100 water, waste-
water, and solid waste management projects
throughout the State with a combined operating
budget in excess of $14 million (Code Natural
Resources Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-132).
TIDEWATER ADMINISTRATION
L. E. Zeni, Administrator
Tawes State Office Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-2926
The Tidewater Administration was created by
Chapter 601, Acts of 1979. The agency combined
Tidal Fisheries, Coastal Zone Management, and
Waterway improvement into one organizational
unit.
Waterway Improvement was created under
Chapter 348 of the Acts of 1972, the State Boat
Act, and provides services to the general boating
public, including placement and maintenance of
navigational aids, clearing of debris and obstruc-
tions from waters of the State, removal of derelict
vessels, ice breaking, dredging, and the construc-
tion of regional boating facilities and local small-
boat launching ramps, piers, and ancillary facili-
ties.
The Tidal Fisheries Administration carries out
the operational functions of the former Fisheries
Administration, created by Chapter 348, Acts of
1972. The Tidal Fisheries Division is responsible
for the preservation, enhancement, development,
and use of all tidal fishery resources in Maryland.
Recent economic estimates indicate that the
Maryland sport fishery in tidewater expends ap-
proximately 20 million dollars annually in direct
costs, exclusive of boats, motors, and tackle.
Commercial fisheries of shellfish and finfish in
1978 had a dockside value of approximately $35
million. The fishery management program in-
cludes planting multi-million bushels of oyster
shells for propagation purposes, transplanting
seed oysters on public oyster bars, monitoring
blue crab movement to determine fluctuations in
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annual harvest, investigation of fish mortalities,
an annual juvenile recruitment survey to index re-
productive success, monitoring anadromous fish
reproduction and harvesting, support of striped
bass hatcheries for research and release, environ-
mental review of permit applications, disease and
parasite investigations, resurveying the Bay bot-
tom, and obtaining statistics needed for manage-
ment decisions.
The Coastal Zone Management Program has
been transferred from the Energy and Coastal
Zone Administration to the Tidewater Adminis-
tration. The Governor in March 1973 designated
the Department of Natural Resources as the agen-
cy authorized to receive and administer federal
grants pursuant to the Federal Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972. In May 1978 the Gov-
ernor signed an Executive Order stating that the
Coastal Zone Management Program constitutes
State policy with regard to activities in Maryland's
coastal areas. The Program draws on the authori-
ty, expertise, and perspective of six State Depart-
ments (Economic and Community Development,
State Planning, Natural Resources, Transporta-
tion, Health and Mental Hygiene, and Agricul-
ture), sixteen coastal counties and Baltimore City,
and numerous federal agencies. The Division is
charged with administration of the Program, in-
cluding a $1.6 million dollar grant from the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
It has the primary function of coordinating among
the many Program participants, ensuring that all
State and federal actions are consistent with the
State's coastal resources policy, providing techni-
cal and financial assistance to local governments
and State agencies, and improving the quality and
extent of coastal decision-making information.
WATER RESOURCES
ADMINISTRATION
Thomas C. Andrews, Director
Tawes State Office Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-3846
The Water Resources Administration, formerly
the Department of Water Resources, was created
by Chapter 348, Acts of 1972. The agency is con-
cerned with the protection, enhancement, and
management of the water resources of the State.
As of July 1,1980, Executive Order 01.01.1980.04
as amended by Chapter 815 of the Acts of 1980
transferred certain water pollution control pro-
grams to the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene.
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