HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3313

Resources to fully analyze Maryland's energy situation;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Maryland Energy Administration shall report to the General
Assembly of Maryland on or before December 1 of each year,
1981 concerning the status of energy conservation efforts,
usage, developments, and suggestions as to how the State
legislature can assist in minimizing the impact of energy
needs on the citizens of this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the
Honorable Harry Hughes, Governor of Maryland; the Honorable
James Clark, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; the
Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin, Speaker of the House of
Delegates; and James B. Coulter, Secretary of the Department
of Natural Resources, Tawes State Office Building,
Annapolis, Maryland 21401.

Signed May 12, 1981.

No. 30

(House Joint Resolution No. 27)

A House Joint Resolution concerning

Maryland Forestland

FOR the purpose of establishing a task force to review and
evaluate management and taxation of Maryland forestland
and to recommend measures to optimize use and
preservation of these resources in Maryland; providing
for the makeup of the task force; and requiring that a
presentation of the findings be given by a certain
date.

WHEREAS, 90 percent of Maryland's forestlands are in
private ownership and the State's citizens increasingly
demand numerous benefits from those lands, including wood
fiber, wood fuel, recreation, wildlife, watershed,
wilderness and open space; and

WHEREAS, The forests of Maryland provide an important
indigenous renewable energy resource and deserve recognition
and management as an integral element of our State's
renewable energy base; and

WHEREAS, Forestland is an exhaustible resource of the
State which, once removed from forestland-use, will take
many years, if ever, to recover; and

WHEREAS, While approximately 2.5 million acres (40
percent) of Maryland's total land area is commercial