WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

Ch. 441

CHAPTER 441

(House Bill 620)

AN ACT concerning

Chesapeake Bay and Its Tributaries - Public Access

FOR the purpose of designating the Department of Natural
Resources as the unit of State government that coordinates
public access to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries;
requiring the Department to take certain actions to provide
public access to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries;
providing that nothing in this Act may be construed to
expand certain authority of the Department on a certain date
concerning condemnation powers in certain areas of the
State; providing for certain limitations on the acquisition
of certain land in the State by eminent domain; and
generally relating to providing public access to the
Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

BY adding to

Article - Natural Resources

Section 8-205

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1983 Replacement Volume and 1987 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Under the authority of § 8-1816 of the Natural
Resources Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission has prepared a report to
the Governor and the General Assembly that recommends State
policy and goals for:

(1)  The provision of public access along the
shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; and

(2)  The reforestation of land within the critical
area and the preservation of forested land within the critical
area; and

WHEREAS, Currently there is no existing policy that serves
as a guide for the 3 departments, 6 agencies within those 3
departments, and 8 programs within those 6 agencies of State
government that are involved with the provision of shorefront
access for the public; and

WHEREAS, The Critical Area Commission recommends that the
State carry out a goal to provide opportunities for public access
to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; and

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