Marvin Mandel, Governor                         899

subtitle "Oysters and Clams," to change the publication require-
ment prior to reclassification of a submerged area of the State
from natural oyster bed to barren bottom by the Department of
Tidewater Fisheries.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 708(d) of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1970 Replacement Volume and 1971 Supplement), title "Na-
tural Resources," subtitle "Oysters and Clams," be and it is hereby
repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

708.

(d) Before the Department of Tidewater Fisheries may reclassify
any submerged area of the State from natural oyster bed, excluded
from leasing, to barren bottom open to being leased, it shall advertise
the time, place, and purpose to reexamine the area, [twice] once a
week for [two] three successive weeks, in a newspaper of general
circulation in the county, if the area is within county waters, or in a
newspaper of general circulation in the State, if the area is not
within the waters of any county. Any members of the public may
be present at the reexamination. If any person present then and
there offers to make further tests in the presence of the agents of
the Department of Tidewater Fisheries they shall witness same and
make note of the findings. If upon such reexamination the Depart-
ment of Tidewater Fisheries proposes to reclassify the area from
natural bed to barren bottom, it shall first hold a public hearing,
and the time, place, and purpose shall be advertised as aforesaid.
Any person may, by way of appeal from the decision of the Depart-
ment, file petition in the circuit court of the county, at any time until
expiration of thirty days from the filing of an amended chart in said
circuit court showing the reclassification, and the same proceedings
shall be had thereon as are now provided in subsection (k) of this
section and with the same rights of appeal from the decision of the
circuit court. No lease of the reclassified area, in whole or part,
shall be granted until the amended chart has been filed in the circuit
court of the county and until thirty days shall have expired from
date of filing. During said thirty-day period, public notice of the
filing of an amended chart shall be given once a week for three suc-
cessive weeks prior to expiration of said period, in a newspaper
of general circulation in the county.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1972.

Approved May 5, 1972.

CHAPTER 318
(House Bill 971)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 501A of
Article 21 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930
Edition), title "Talbot County," subtitle "Schools," as said section