Section 5-1607 – Preferred Sequence for Afforestation and Reforestation; Priorities; Provisions Developed by Local Government; Placement of Forested, Afforested, or Reforested Land
(a) The preferred sequence for afforestation and reforestation shall be established by the State or local authority in accordance with the following after all techniques for retaining existing forest cover on–site have been exhausted: (1) Those techniques that enhance existing forest and involve selective clearing or supplemental planting on–site; (2) On–site afforestation or reforestation may be utilized where […]
Section 5-1608 – Review of Forest Conservation Plan Concurrent With State or Local Review for Subdivision Plan, Grading or Sediment Control Permits
(a) The review of the forest conservation plan shall be concurrent with the review process of the State or local authority for the subdivision plan, or the grading or sediment control permit, whichever may be submitted first. (b) Before the approval of the final subdivision plan, or the issuance of the grading or sediment control permit by […]
Section 5-1609 – Regulations; Guidance Manuals; Forest Resource Inventory
(a) (1) By December 31, 1991, the Department, after consulting with local government and the real estate development, building, and environmental communities, shall adopt regulations, including the development of guidance manuals to: (i) Implement this subtitle and set requirements and standards which establish: 1. Standards of performance required in forest stand delineations and forest conservation plans including the submittal […]
Section 5-1610 – Forest Conservation Fund; Local Forest Conservation Fund
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) “Fund” means the Forest Conservation Fund. (3) “Priority funding area” has the meaning stated in § 5–7B–02 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. (b) There is a Forest Conservation Fund in the Department. (c) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, if any person subject […]
Section 5-1610.1 – Forest Mitigation Banks
(a) The Department shall develop standards and adopt regulations for the creation and use of forest mitigation banks, including criteria for tracking, crediting, maintaining, bonding, and reporting mitigation bank activities. (b) A local jurisdiction may develop procedures for establishing forest mitigation banks as part of its forest conservation program. (c) Mitigation banks may be permitted only in priority […]
Section 5-1611 – Variances
(a) In the preparation of the State or local forest conservation programs, the State and local authorities shall provide for the granting of variances to the requirements of this subtitle, where owing to special features of a site or other circumstances, implementation of this subtitle would result in unwarranted hardship to an applicant. (b) Variance procedures adopted […]
Section 5-1612 – Enforcement
(a) (1) The enforcement provisions in this section and § 5–1608 of this subtitle are in lieu of any other provision in this title. (2) In addition to the enforcement authority granted the Department, the enforcement provisions of this section may be exercised by any local authority that has adopted a forest conservation program, in addition to any […]
Section 5-1613 – Annual Report
On or before September 30 of each year, the Department shall submit, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Environment and Transportation Committee a statewide report, compiled from local authorities’ reports to the Department, on: (1) The number, location, and type of […]
Section 5-1701 – Regulations; Lease Required; Restrictions on Leases
(a) (1) The Board of Public Works shall adopt regulations establishing procedures and standards for awarding any oil or natural gas lease for production or reserve under lands or waters of the State. (2) An area leased for reserve may not be put into production until the lessee obtains a lease for production pursuant to § 5-1702 of […]
Section 5-1702 – Statement of Environmental, Fiscal, and Economic Impact
(a) Before the Board of Public Works may solicit bids for or award any lease for production of oil or natural gas from beneath lands or waters of the State, and after receiving the written recommendation of the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays (if the leased area is located in the […]