368                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 154

54.

Any person or party aggrieved by a final decision of the Depart-
ment, whether such decision is affirmative or negative in form, or by
any rule or regulation of the Department, may appeal to the Board
of Review of the Department of Natural Resources as provided for
in Article 41 of the Code, [file within 30 days of the date of the
decision, rule or regulation. The petition shall set forth the grounds
and reasons for the petitioner's complaint. The chairman shall set
a time and place for the hearing and shall notify the petitioner. At
the hearing, the petitioner and any other interested parties may
appear in person or by counsel, present witnesses and submit evi-
dence. The chairman or any member of the Commission shall have
the power to administer oaths to any witnesses who appear to testify
at the hearing. The Commission shall as promptly as possible after
the hearing render a final decision on the petitioner's complaint.]

Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That new Section 2 of Article
66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition, 1967
Replacement Volume, and 1968 Supplement), title "Natural Re-
sources," be and it is hereby enacted, to read as follows:

2.

The Secretary of Natural Resources is directed to make all effort
necessary toward the enactment of appropriate intergovernmental
agreements with other states to preserve the optimal state of the
Chesapeake Bay through the organization of an interstate body to
plan, manage, coordinate, and enforce the proper use of the Bay, so
that all users of the Bay area can obtain the maximum advantage of
the Bay.

SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That all persons who are, on
the effective date hereof, Directors, Members of Commissions, Officers
and employees of all departments and agencies included within the
Department of Natural Resources are hereby confirmed in the office
or position which they hold on such date, as Directors, Members of
Commissions, Officers and employees of such departments and agen-
cies, except as otherwise provided in this Act or until they retire,
resign or are removed as provided by law.

SEC. 12A. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT ALL EM-
PLOYEES OF THE BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES WHO
ARE MEMBERS OF THE STATE MERIT SYSTEM ON THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT SHALL BE TRANSFERRED
TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF NATURAL RE-
SOURCES, WITH NO DIMINUTION OF SENIORITY, RETIRE-
MENT RICHTS OR SALARY, AND THEY SHALL CONTINUE
AS STATE MERIT SYSTEM EMPLOYEES UNDER THE PRO-
VISIONS OF ARTICLE 64A OF THE CODE, TITLE "MERIT
SYSTEM" AND UNDER ARTICLE 73B OF THE CODE, TITLE
"PENSIONS"; AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF SENIORITY, RE-
TIREMENT RICHTS, VACATION, AND SALARY THEY SHALL
RECEIVE FULL CREDIT