618                              Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 450

CHAPTER 450
(House Bill 338)

AN ACT to add new Sections 411A to 411U, inclusive, to Article 66C
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Natural
Resources", to follow immediately after Section 411 thereof and
to be under the new sub-title "Patuxent River Watershed", author-
izing the State Department of Forests and Park, together with
Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Calvert,
Charles and St. Mary's Counties, or their duly designated agencies,
to provide for the cooperative acquisition of lands bordering on
the Patuxent River for the protection of the watershed, flood con-
trol purposes and to further provide for the planning and carrying
out of care and maintenance of said lands by the respective coun-
ties named herein or their duly designated agencies, to authorize
the acceptance of any funds for the purpose, to authorize State
and local expenditures for land acquisitions, to authorize a special
local tax levy, pertaining generally to the watershed area of the
Patuxent River and providing penalties for violations.

Whereas, The Legislature finds that the Patuxent River and the
land bordering thereon constitute some of Maryland's most scenic
natural or esthetic assets, and that rapid growth and spread of urban
development is encroaching upon or eliminating many of these bor-
dering lands and contributing to the flooding and silting of the
Patuxent River; and

Whereas, It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a means
whereby the State Department of Forests and Parks, together with
Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Calvert,
Charles and St. Mary's Counties may cooperatively provide for the
protection of the said Patuxent River and for the acquisition and
use of the lands bordering thereon, so that the harmful effects of
flooding, silting and erosion caused by the expansion of urban devel-
opment may be discontinued or eliminated; and

Whereas, The Legislature declares that it is necessary for sound
and proper conservation and flood control purposes, and in the public
interest of this State for the State Department of Forests and Parks,
together with Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel,
Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's Counties, or their duly designated
agencies, to expend or advance public funds for, or to accept by,
purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise or lease, the fee or any lesser
interest or right in real property to acquire, maintain, improve,
protect or limit the future use of lands bordering on, and within,
the Patuxent River Watershed; now, therefore

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sections 411A to 411U, inclusive, be and they are hereby
added to Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957

Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.