MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

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facilities, and better utilizing the railroads in our
overall transportation plan.

Under the provisions of the Rail Reorganization Act
of 1973, states wishing to participate in the Rail
Service Continuation Subsidy Program must prepare a rail
transportation plan for submission to the Federal
Railroad Administration.

The State Rail Plan, currently being formulated,
will have grave and far—reaching effects on almost every
aspect of economic, industrial, social, and environmental
life in Maryland. Therefore, it is imperative that the
interests of agricultural, industrial, environmental, and
general citizens [[have input in the Plan]] be considered

in formulating the Plan, which can be accomplished

through consultation with the legislative Council of the
General Assembly.

[[A Railroad Task Force, appointed by the Governor,
should also address itself to recommending legislation
aimed at State and local governments' picking up railroad
rights of way of those lines which must be abandoned.
The rights of way are too valuable an asset to be
ignored, and they should be preserved for future use as
recreational facilities and open space projects.]]

Furthermore, the [[Task Force]] Department of
Transportation should recognize the "importance of
retaining the rail lines," which are the backbone of the
[[Eastern Shore]] State economy; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
the [[Governor]] Secretary of Transportation be requested
to [[appoint a Railroad Task Force to represent the
interests of general citizens in]] review with the
Legislative Council of the General Assembly, prior to
finalizing, the State Rail Plan now being formulated by
the State Department of Transportation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
[[the Honorable Marvin Mandel, Governor, State House,
Annapolis]] Secretary Harry Hughes, Department of
Transportation. P. 0. Box 8755, Baltimore—Washington
International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland 21240.

Approved May 15, 1975.

No. 44
(House Joint Resolution 30)