1692                                       LAWS OF MARYLAND                            [Ch. 6

DECLARATION OF POLICY.
(A) THE CONDITION.

THE FARM AND GRAZING LANDS OF THE STATE ARE AMONG
THE BASIC ASSETS OF THE STATE AND THE PRESERVATION OF
THESE LANDS IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE
HEALTH, SAFETY, AND GENERAL WELFARE OF ITS PEOPLE.
IMPROPER LAND-USE PRACTICES CAUSE AND CONTRIBUTE TO A
PROGRESSIVELY MORE SERIOUS EROSION OF THE FARM AND
GRAZING LANDS OF THE STATE BY WIND AND WATER. THE
BREAKING OF NATURAL GRASS, PLANT, AND FOREST COVER HAS
INTERFERED WITH THE NATURAL FACTORS OF SOIL
STABILIZATION, CAUSING LOOSENING OF SOIL AND
EXHAUSTION OF HUMUS, AND DEVELOPING A SOIL CONDITION
THAT FAVORS EROSION. THE TOPSOIL IS BEING BLOWN AND
WASHED OUT OF FIELDS AND PASTURES AND THERE HAS BEEN
AN ACCELERATED SASHING OF SLOPING FIELDS. THESE
PROCESSES OF EROSION BY WIND AND WATER SPEED UP WHEN
ABSORPTIVE TOPSOIL IS REMOVED, CAUSING EXPOSURE OF
LESS ABSORPTIVE AND LESS PROTECTIVE BUT MORE EROSIVE
SUBSOIL. THE FAILURE BY ANY LAND OCCUPIER TO CONSERVE
THE SOIL AND CONTROL EROSION ON HIS LAND CAUSES A
WASHING AND BLOWING OF SOIL AND WATER FROM HIS LAND
ONTO OTHER LANDS AND MAKES THE CONSERVATION OF SOIL
AND CONTROL OF EROSION OF OTHER LANDS DIFFICULT OR
IMPOSSIBLE.

(E) THE CONSEQUENCES.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOIL EROSION IN THE FORM OF
SOIL BLOWING AND SOIL WASHING ARE: THE SILTING AND
SEDIMENTATION OF STREAM CHANNELS, RESERVOIRS, DAMS,
DITCHES, AND HARBORS; THE LOSS OF FERTILE SOIL
MATERIAL IN DUST STORMS; THE PILING UP OF SOIL ON
LOWER SLOPES AND ITS DEPOSIT OVER ALLUVIAL PLAINS; THE
REDUCTION IN PRODUCTIVITY OR OUTRIGHT RUIN OF RICH
BOTTOM LANDS BY OVERWASH OF POOR SUBSOIL MATERIAL,
SAND, AND GRAVEL SWEPT OUT OF THE HILLS; DETERIORATION
OF SOIL AND ITS FERTILITY, DETERIORATION OF CROPS
GROWN ON THE SOIL, AND DECLINING ACRE YIELDS DESPITE
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES FOR INCREASING
THEM; LOSS OF SOIL AND WATER WHICH CAUSES DESTRUCTION
OF FOOD AND COVER FOR WILDLIFE; A BLOWING AND WASHING
OF SOIL INTO STREAMS WHICH SILTS OVER SPAWNING BEDS,
DESTROYS WATER PLANTS, AND DIMINISHES THE FOOD SUPPLY
OF FISH; DIMINUTION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATER RESERVE,
WHICH CAUSES WATER SHORTAGES, INTENSIFIES PERIODS OF
DROUGHT, AND CAUSES CROP FAILURES; AN INCREASE IN THE
SPEED AND VOLUME OF RAINFALL RUNOFF, CAUSING SEVERE
AND INCREASING FLOODS, WHICH BRING SUFFERING, DISEASE,