Marvin Mandel, Governor                         585

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sections 675 through 682 be and they are hereby added
to Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition,
1967 Replacement Volume, 1969 Supplement), title "Natural Re-
sources," subtitle "Mining," to follow immediately after Section
674 thereof and to be under the same title and subtitle, and to be
under a new subheading "Abandoned Mine Drainage Control Act
of 1970," all to read as follows:

675.

It is the intention of the General Assembly to provide for the
restoration of State waters affected by pollution from abandoned
mines to the quality necessary to support fish and other aquatic
life, recreation, and other beneficial purposes. To accomplish this
objective, the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources is
hereby expressly authorized to acquire and rehabilitate land oc-
cupied or degraded by abandoned deep and strip mines so that such
land does not contribute to water pollution, and to take what-
ever other measures are necessary to prevent, control, and abate
water pollution from abandoned mining areas.

676.
As used in this subheading:

(a)    "Costs" shall include the costs of acquisition, improvement,
development, rehabilitation, construction, reconstruction and de-
velopment of land and facilities and the financing thereof, including
the cost of engineering and legal services, appraisals, plans, speci-
fications, surveys, investigations, feasibility studies, estimates of
costs and of revenues, and other necessary or incidental capital ex-
penditures.

(b)    "Studies" means the collection, analysis, and preparation
of information, alternatives, and recommendations in order that the
State or its political subdivisions may singly or jointly determine
a course of action to meet the purposes of this subheading.

(c)    "Land" means real property, including improvements, rights
of way, water, riparian or other vested rights, easements, privileges,
and any other estate or interest in real property.

(d)    "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of
Natural Resources.

(e)    "Department" means the Department of Natural Re-
sources.

677.

(a) The Board of Public Works is hereby authorized and direct-
ed to issue a State loan to be known as the "Mine Reclamation and
Water Quality Restoration Loan," in the aggregate amount of five
million dollars ($5,000,000). The certificates evidencing said loan
may be issued all at one time or in groups from time to time, as
hereinafter provided. All of said certificates evidencing said loan
or any group thereof, shall be issued according to a maturity plan
so worked out as to discharge the principal represented by said cer-