PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 488

(ii) In issuing any manner of permit or approval to any person to
modify or renovate any existing structure or to modify the use of any open land area in the
100-year floodplain of the nontidal Jones Falls, Baltimore City or Baltimore County shall
impose conditions to require that risk of injury to persons or property shall be minimized
to the greatest extent practicable.

(h) (1) There is a comprehensive flood management grant program within the
Department.

(2)    Subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works, the Department
may use proceeds from the State debt created to fund the comprehensive flood
management grant program to pay the entire cost of watershed studies pursuant to
subsection (b) of this section. The Department may provide grants to subdivisions to pay
the entire cost of watershed studies when the Department delegates that responsibility
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

(3)    Subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works, the Department
may provide grants to subdivisions for flood control and watershed management capital
projects, and for the capital costs related to design, purchase, and installation of
automated flood warning projects, provided that the projects are consistent with the plans
and implementation prepared and adopted in accordance with this subtitle, and provided
further that each project:

(i) Is undertaken as part of a comprehensive flood management plan
prepared and adopted by the subdivision; and

(ii) Is not inconsistent with any State or interjurisdictional flood
management plan.

(4)    Grants for automated flood warnings projects shall be conditioned to
require all affected local governing bodies:

(i) To adopt a specific and compatible response plan which has been
coordinated with local emergency management authorities and reviewed and approved by
the Department and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency; and

(ii) To provide for financial and other commitments to properly
operate and maintain the project.

(5)     (i) Subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works, the
Department may provide grants to subdivisions immediately after a flood for acquisition
of any flood damaged owner-occupied dwelling.

(ii) Total expenditures for grants made under this paragraph may not
exceed 50% of the total authorized budgeted funds in a fiscal year for grants under this
subsection.

(6)    The amount of any grant made by the Department for a flood control
and watershed management capital project shall be matched by a minimum amount of
50% of local funds. The Department may provide up to 50% of the nonfederal share of
the funding for a flood control and watershed management capital project which meets
the criteria of this subtitle.

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