PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 568

certain exceptions; and generally relating to the Agricultural Land Preservation
Program.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Agriculture                                                                                         

Section 2-508(a)(5), (b), and (c), 2-508.1, 2-510, and 2-511

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1985 Replacement Volume and 1994 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Agriculture

2-508.

(a)     (5) "Allotted purchases" means general or matching purchases made
pursuant to offers to buy tendered by the Foundation on or before January 31 [in the first
offer cycle and on or before July 31 in the second offer cycle] OF ANY FISCAL YEAR.

(b)     [(1)] Beginning with fiscal year 1979, and in each fiscal year thereafter, the
Foundation shall determine the maximum amount which may be expended for allotted
purchases of easements on land located within each county. The maximum amount which
may be expended for allotted purchases of easements in any county in any fiscal year shall
be:

[(i)] (1) An amount, to be used for general allotted purchases, equal to
one twenty-third of [one half of] the total amount to be allotted[, which amount shall be
divided equally between the 2 offer cycles]; and

[(ii)](2) An amount, to be used for matching allotted purchases, which
shall be computed for each eligible county by dividing [one half of the total amount to be
allotted] equally among those counties having an approved program. The maximum
amount available from the Foundation for the Foundation's share in matching allotted
purchases may not exceed $1 million in any county in any fiscal year[, which amount shall
be divided equally between the 2 offer cycles].

[(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the
Foundation may elect, for fiscal years 1992 and 1993 only, to have one offer cycle.]

(c)     If the Foundation receives acceptances of offers to buy in insufficient numbers
to expend the total amount to be allotted for allotted purchases [in each offer cycle], the
Foundation, to the extent feasible, shall tender additional offers to buy in sufficient
numbers to expend the total amount to be allotted. Any such additional offers to buy shall
be tendered:

(1) To landowners who have applied to sell easements on land which was
otherwise acceptable, but who had not received an offer to buy solely because of
limitations on the amount of money to be spent for allotted purchases;

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