WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 306

WHEREAS, There are presently overlapping environmental
regulatory functions assigned to the Department of Natural
Resources and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; and

WHEREAS, The consolidation of regulatory programs for water
pollution control, air and water quality control, and hazardous
and solid waste management will is intended to strengthen the
State's environmental enforcement capability; and

WHEREAS, The establishment of this cabinet agency is
intended to assist and expedite the restoration of the Chesapeake
Bay and her tributaries and to enhance the State's efforts to
improve air quality, water quality, and the prevention of
pollution from hazardous and solid waste; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the General Assembly that
sediment control and stormwater management programs are important
to water quality and restoring the Chesapeake Bay to its former,
more productive condition and therefore, should be given special
consideration within the Department of the Environment; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the General Assembly by

enactment of this legislation, to improve enforcement of

environmental laws and regulations in Maryland, in order to
protect human health and the environment; and

WHEREAS, The creation of a single cabinet level agency for

environmental protection will more efficiently and effectively

interchange with federal, county, municipal, and local

counterparts; and

WHEREAS, The creation of this new agency department will
assist local governments to perform their significant
environmental and public health roles; and

WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of the State to clearly
define and streamline departmental responsibilities for public
health, natural resources, and environmental protection; now,
therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Article - Health - Environmental of the Annotated
Code of Maryland be and it is hereby renamed to be Article -
Environment.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Title 4. Food,
Drugs, and Cosmetics; Title 5. Poisons and Child Resistant
Packaging of Dangerous Household Substances; and Title
1.1. Miscellaneous Provisions, respectively, of Article - Health
Environmental of the Annotated Code of Maryland be transferred
and renumbered without amendments to be Title 21. Food, Drugs,
and Cosmetics; Title 22. Poisons and Child Resistant Packaging

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