ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 428

CHAPTER 428
(Senate Bill 320)

AN ACT concerning

Water Pollution - State Waters - The Chesapeake Bay Watershed and
Atlantic Coastal Bays Bay Restoration Fund

FOR the purpose of adding a certain alternative to requirements for nutrient
management plans; altering requirements relating to filings concerning nutrient
management plans; eliminating the requirement that a certain farm owner or
operator grant the Department of Agriculture the right of entry for a certain
purpose; altering the term and fee for the renewal of certain licenses and
certificates; authorizing the Department of Agriculture to issue certain
certificates for persons operating a farm under certain circumstances;
authorizing the Department of Agriculture to procure the services of private
certified nutrient management consultants to develop nutrient management
plans; authorizing the Department of Agriculture to review certain plans and
records under certain circumstances; providing for certain site visits under
certain circumstances; establishing the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Atlantic
Coastal Bays Bay Restoration Fund in the Department of the Environment;
declaring certain legislative intent related to the Fund; authorizing the
Maryland Water Quality Financing Administration of the Department of the
Environment to award certain grants and loans from the Fund; providing for the
money in the Fund to be used for grants and loans to upgrade the nutrient
removal technology at certain wastewater facilities to achieve enhanced
nutrient removal and for certain other uses, in accordance with certain criteria;
establishing an environmental surcharge certain Bay restoration fees to be paid
by users of wastewater facilities, onsite sewage disposal systems, and sewage
holding tanks, and providing for certain exemptions; providing for the collection
of the fees by certain collection authorities; authorizing the Comptroller to adopt
certain regulations; providing for the management of the Fund, including the
establishment from certain fee revenue of a separate account within the Fund to
be used for certain purposes; providing for the payment of certain
administrative costs; establishing a certain advisory committee, and providing
for certain terms, membership, and duties of the committee; requiring certain
reports the committee to report to certain persons by certain dates; requiring
the Department to adopt certain regulations; authorizing the Department to
adopt certain regulations relating to a certain surcharge; providing for the
payment of certain bond revenue to the Fund; defining certain terms; providing
for the staggering of the terms of certain members of the Advisory Committee;
requiring the Department to jointly report to certain legislative committees on or
before a certain date; providing for the staggering of the terms of certain
members of the Advisory Committee; and generally relating to the
establishment and management of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Atlantic
Coastal Bays Restoration Fund reduction of nutrient water pollution in waters of
the State, particularly the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coastal Bays.

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