Ch. 248

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

5-106.

(T) A PROSECUTION FOR A VIOLATION OF THE FISH AND FISHERIES
PROVISIONS OF TITLE 4 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE OR THE WILDLIFE
PROVISIONS OF TITLE 10 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE SHALL BE
INSTITUTED WITHIN 2 YEARS AFTER COMMISSION OF THE OFFENSE.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1997.

Approved April 29, 1997.

CHAPTER 248
(House Bill 595)

AN ACT concerning

Chesapeake Bay Critical Area - Commercial Timber Harvest — Criteria for Buffer

Overlap

FOR the purpose of allowing certain timber harvesting within a certain distance of buffer
areas that overlap with certain habitat protection areas; and generally relating to
timber harvesting in the Critical Area.

BY adding to

Article - Natural Resources

Section 8-1808.7

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1990 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, State lawmakers in 1984 recognized the importance of fostering more
sensitive development activity along the shoreline areas of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries, from the standpoint of protecting and preserving water quality and natural
habitats, with the adoption of the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Protection Act; and

WHEREAS, This milestone policy imposed several development-related
performance standards within the "Critical Area" aimed at helping achieve the inherent
goals of the Act;

WHEREAS, One of the unintended restrictive provisions associated with the
enabling Act and its accompanying criteria prohibited timber harvesting within the
landward 50 feet of the 100-foot buffer area when it was determined that overlapping
Habitat Protection Area (HPAs) existed;

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