MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

3065

SUBTITLE 5. COASTAL FACILITIES REVIEW ACT

6-501.

[[(A) MARYLAND'S COASTAL AREA, WHICH BORDERS THE
ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, IS RICH IN A
VARIETY OF NATURAL, COMMERCIAL, RECREATIONAL, INDUSTRIAL,
AND ESTHETIC RESOURCES. THESE RESOURCES POSSESS GREAT
IMMEDIATE AS WELL AS POTENTIAL VALUE FOR THE STATE AND
THE NATION AS A WHOLE, HOWEVER, THE COASTAL AREA AND THE
FISH, SHELLFISH, AND OTHER LIVING MARINE RESOURCES AND
WILDLIFE CONTAINED THEREIN ARE ECOLOGICALLY FRAGILE.
THEY CONSTITUTE A UNIQUE, IRREPLACEABLE, NATURAL, AND
ESTHETIC RESOURCE OF GREAT ECONOMIC VALUE.

(B)    EXTRACTION OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND FOSSIL
FUELS FROM THE BALTIMORE CANYON TROUGH AND ELSEWHERE MAY
CREATE IMMEDIATE, INCREASING, AND COMPETING DEMANDS UPON
THE LANDS AND WATERS OF THE STATE'S COASTAL AREA. THE
INTERESTS OF THE STATE AND THE NATION REQUIRE A METHOD OF
RESOLVING THESE COMPETING DEMANDS WHICH WILL GIVE A HIGH
PRIORITY TO THE NATURAL SYSTEMS OF THE COASTAL SOME AND
PROMOTE THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE.

(C)    CERTAIN FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH EXTRACTION
AND REFINING OF MINERAL AND FOSSIL FUEL RESOURCES MAY
ADVERSELY AFFECT THE STATE'S INTEREST IF THEY ARE LOCATED
IN THE COASTAL AREA. THE STATE, THEREFORE, REQUIRES A
SYSTEM OF ASSESSING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF SUCH FACILITIES, AS A LACK OF PROPER ASSESSMENT MAY
CAUSE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE COASTAL
AREA IF THESE FACILITIES ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE COASTAL
AREA.

(D)     THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CERTAIN OIL-RELATED
FACILITIES IN THE COASTAL AREA HAS AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON
THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL
WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE RESIDING IN THE AREA WHERE THESE
FACILITIES ARE ESTABLISHED. THEREFORE, LOCAL CONCERN IS
PRIMARY IN MAKING DECISIONS AS TO LOCATION OF THESE
FACILITIES. IF, HOWEVER, THE EXTENT OF OIL-RELATED
FACILITIES CONTEMPLATED AFFECTS ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC,
SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL FACTORS BEYOND THE BORDERS OF THE
PARTICULAR SUBDIVISION INVOLVED, IN ADDITION TO INVOLVING
POTENTIAL EXPENDITURE OF STATE FUNDS IN EXCESS OF TAX
REVENUES DERIVED FROM THE FACILITIES, THEN THE STATE
INTEREST AND THE NATIONAL INTEREST BECOME A FACTOR IN THE
CONSIDERATION OF WHERE THESE OIL-RELATED FACILITIES SHALL
BE LOCATED.

(E)    THE FOREGOING SUBSECTIONS CONSTITUTE THE
FINDINGS AND INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN ENACTING
PROVISIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE STATE REVIEW PRIOR TO