§ 5-102. Policy of State
West's Annotated Code of MarylandNatural ResourcesEffective: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024
Effective: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024
MD Code, Natural Resources, § 5-102
§ 5-102. Policy of State
<Section effective until July 1, 2024. See, also, section 5-102 effective July 1, 2024.>
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(2) Enhancing the extent and condition of tree and forest cover in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is critical to the success in restoring the Chesapeake Bay because forests are the most beneficial use of protecting water quality due to their ability to capture, filter, and retain water, as well as absorb pollution from the air;
(8) Forest land owners, including local government officials responsible for overseeing the management of publicly owned forest lands, could benefit from research-based education outreach programs in order to help facilitate an understanding of sustainable forestry management that is consistent with forest stewardship principles;
(b) It is the policy of the State to encourage the retention and sustainable management of forest lands by:
(2) Affording due consideration to the protection and retention of forests in the State through existing land conservation programs where they have the highest value in terms of promoting the State's compliance with its clean water goals under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and the 2007 Forestry Conservation Initiative;
(4) Developing financial incentives to encourage landowners to retain and manage their forests sustainably and in a manner that is consistent with a forest stewardship plan, including by allowing landowners to use forests on State lands that are reforested or afforested under Subtitle 16 of this title after July 1, 2022, to satisfy buffer or insurance provisions required by registries or protocols associated with private forest carbon credit transactions;
(8) Developing and enhancing programs with a sustainable forestry component, including a forest mitigation banking system, a carbon credit or carbon sequestration program, a clean water credit trading system, an environmental services credit trading program, and a renewable energy credit trading system.
Credits
Added by Acts 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 4, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 2009, c. 175, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2009; Acts 2010, c. 72, § 1, eff. April 13, 2010; Acts 2013, c. 384, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Acts 2016, c. 43, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2017, c. 62, § 1, eff. April 11, 2017; Acts 2022, c. 237, § 1, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2022, c. 238, § 1, eff. July 1, 2022.
Formerly Art. 66C, § 343.
MD Code, Natural Resources, § 5-102, MD NAT RES § 5-102
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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