Marvin Mandel, Governor                           87

EXEMPT FROM LOCAL ZONING CERTAIN SITES, TO AS-
SIGN RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SECRETARY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES ON APPLICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC SERV-
ICE COMMISSION FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CON-
VENIENCE AND NECESSITY ASSOCIATED WITH POWER
PLANT CONSTRUCTION, TO PROVIDE FOR COORDINATED
HEARINGS AND ISSUANCE OF PERMITS ON APPLICA-
TIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE
AND NECESSITY ASSOCIATED WITH POWER PLANT CON-
STRUCTION, TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN OVERHEAD TRANS-
MISSION LINES, TO DEFINE THE TERM "CONSTRUC-
TION," TO ENTITLE THE SECRETARY OF NATURAL RE-
SOURCES TO JUDICIAL REVIEW, AND GENERALLY RE-
LATING TO POWER PLANT SITING.

Whereas, The General Assembly of Maryland recognizes that
electric power generation and distribution makes use of our environ-
mental trust, including air, land and water and that the citizens of
Maryland and other states benefit from the production of electric
energy in Maryland. It is also clear that AND FURTHER RECOG-
NIZES THAT the electric companies (as defined in Article 78 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland), as holders of public service fran-
chises serving the public's interest, must bear, with other industries
and governmental agencies at all levels, a shared responsibility with
the citizen in the protection of the public environmental trust; and

Whereas, For these several reasons, it is the intent of the Mary-
land General Assembly to involve the human, institutional and finan-
cial resources of the private sector and Local, State and Federal
Government in a long-range, stably-funded, well-designed electric
power plant environmental research program to protect the quality
of the State's environment, including the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributary waters, while also satisfying the electric energy needs of
people and industry; and

Whereas, It is the intent of the Maryland General Assembly to
insure orderly governmental process without requiring the citizens
of Maryland to pay excessive costs, either as taxpayers or as con-
sumers; now, therefore,

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sections 763 through 768, inclusive, be and they are hereby
added to Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1970 Re-
placement Volume), title "Natural Resources," subtitle "In General,"
subheading "Department of Natural Resources," to follow immedi-
ately after Section 762 thereof, and to be under the new subtitle
"Power Plant Siting"; that new Section 5A be and it is hereby added
to said Article and title, to follow immediately after Section 5
thereof; that Section 726 of said Article and title, be and it is
hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments; that Section 11
of Article 96A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1964 Replace-
ment Volume), title "Water Resources," subtitle "Appropriation of
Waters; Reservoirs and Dams," subheading "Illegal Appropriation
of State Waters," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments; and that Section 54A of Article 78 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title "Public Serv-