Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1042 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1042
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1042
8	8	M4, M3, M1 4lr3249
9	9	CF SB 932
10	10	By: Delegate Guzzone
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Maryland Agricultural BMP Best in Show Program – Established 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Agricultural BMP Best in Show Program to 3
21	21	provide and prioritize the use of certain funding relating to agricultural best 4
22	22	management practices and to increase the cost–effectiveness and environmental, 5
23	23	social, and health impacts of State–funded best management practices in a certain 6
24	24	manner; requiring the Department of Agriculture to administer and manage certain 7
25	25	competitive grants under the Program in a certain manner; establishing the 8
26	26	Maryland Agricultural BMP Best in Show Account in the Department; requiring an 9
27	27	applicant for a grant under the Program to provide certain information relating to 10
28	28	proposed best management practices; and generally relating to agricultural best 11
29	29	management practices. 12
30	30
31	31	BY adding to 13
32	32	Article – Agriculture 14
33	33	Section 2–2301 and 2–2302 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 23. Maryland 15
34	34	Agricultural BMP Best in Show Program” 16
35	35	Annotated Code of Maryland 17
36	36	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 18
37	37
38	38	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 19
39	39	Article – Environment 20
40	40	Section 9–1605.4(b) and (f)(1) 21
41	41	Annotated Code of Maryland 22
42	42	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 23
43	43
44	44	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 24
45	45	Article – Environment 25
46	46	Section 9–1605.4(f)(3) 26
47	47	Annotated Code of Maryland 27
48	48	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 28 2 HOUSE BILL 1042
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 1
53	53	Article – Natural Resources 2
54	54	Section 8–2A–02(a) 3
55	55	Annotated Code of Maryland 4
56	56	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 5
57	57
58	58	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
59	59	Article – Natural Resources 7
60	60	Section 8–2A–02(f)(1) 8
61	61	Annotated Code of Maryland 9
62	62	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 10
63	63
64	64	BY adding to 11
65	65	Article – Natural Resources 12
66	66	Section 8–2A–02(f)(5) 13
67	67	Annotated Code of Maryland 14
68	68	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 15
69	69
70	70	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
71	71	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
72	72
73	73	Article – Agriculture 18
74	74
75	75	SUBTITLE 23. MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL BMP BEST IN SHOW PROGRAM. 19
76	76
77	77	2–2301. 20
78	78
79	79	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
80	80	INDICATED. 22
81	81
82	82	(B) “AGRICULTURAL LAND TRA NSITION” MEANS THE IDENTIFICA TION OF 23
83	83	AGRICULTURAL LANDS T HAT ARE FACING LOSS OR SIGNI FICANT REDUCTION OF 24
84	84	AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT ION CAPACITY DUE TO PREDICTED SALTWATER 25
85	85	INTRUSION OR FREQUEN T FLOODING AND THE R ESULTING IMPLEMENTAT ION OF 26
86	86	BEST MANAGEMENT PRAC TICES TO CONVERT THO SE LANDS TO FUNCTION ING 27
87	87	WETLANDS, STREAMS, OR FOREST BUFFER HABITAT . 28
88	88
89	89	(C) “BEST MANAGEMENT PRACT ICE” MEANS A CONSERVATION OR 29
90	90	POLLUTION CONTROL PR ACTICE THAT: 30
91	91
92	92	(1) REDUCES SOIL OR NUTRI ENT LOSS DUE TO FARM ING PRACTICES; 31
93	93	OR 32
94	94	HOUSE BILL 1042 3
95	95
96	96
97	97	(2) MANAGES OR MITIGATES THE IMPACT OF POLLUT ANTS, ANIMAL 1
98	98	WASTES, OR AGRICULTURAL CHEMICA LS ON WATERS OF THE STATE OR THE 2
99	99	ENVIRONMENT . 3
100	100
101	101	(D) “ECOLOGICAL TIPPING PO INT” MEANS A CONDITION IN WHICH AN 4
102	102	ECOLOGICALLY DEGRADE D OR IMPAIRED STREAM SEGMENT HAS IMPROVED 5
103	103	ENOUGH SUCH THAT MON ITORING DATA SHOWS N EWLY HEALTHY BENTHIC 6
104	104	POPULATIONS AND BIOTIC I NTEGRITY OR WATER QU ALITY THAT SUPPORTS ALL 7
105	105	DESIGNATED USES , INCLUDING SIGNIFICAN TLY ENHANCED LIVING RESOURCES. 8
106	106
107	107	(E) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL BMP BEST IN 9
108	108	SHOW PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER § 2–2302 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 10
109	109
110	110	(F) “SHALLOW WATER HABITAT ” MEANS THE PORTION OF THE 11
111	111	CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS AND THEIR TRIBUT ARIES FOR WHICH 12
112	112	THE STATE HAS ADOPTED WAT ER QUALITY CRITERIA TO SUPPORT SUBMERGED 13
113	113	AQUATIC VEGETATION . 14
114	114
115	115	2–2302. 15
116	116
117	117	(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL BMP BEST IN SHOW 16
118	118	PROGRAM. 17
119	119
120	120	(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO: 18
121	121
122	122	(1) PROVIDE GREATER FUNDI NG NEEDED TO PROVIDE PRODUCERS 19
123	123	WITH GREATER INCENTI VES TO PARTICIPATE I N THE COORDINATED FU NDING OF 20
124	124	MULTIPLE BEST MANAGE MENT PRACTICES WITHI N INDIVIDUAL AGRICUL TURAL 21
125	125	OPERATIONS OR ACROSS MULTIPLE OPERATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY ; 22
126	126
127	127	(2) PRIORITIZE THE USE OF AGRICULTURAL COST –SHARE FUNDING 23
128	128	AND OTHER STATE FUNDS TO SUPPOR T THE COORDINATED ES TABLISHMENT OF 24
129	129	BEST MANAGEMENT PRAC TICES IN LOCATIONS M OST LIKELY TO HAVE A 25
130	130	SHORT–TERM BENEFICIAL IMPA CT ON WATER QUALITY , LIVING RESOURCES , OR 26
131	131	PUBLIC HEALTH ; AND 27
132	132
133	133	(3) INCREASE THE COST –EFFECTIVENESS AND EN VIRONMENTAL , 28
134	134	SOCIAL, AND HEALTH IMPACTS O F STATE–FUNDED BEST MANAGEME NT PRACTICES 29
135	135	THROUGH GREATER COOR DINATION, PLANNING, TARGETING, OR USE OF 30
136	136	HIGH–PRIORITY PRACTICES T HAT PROVIDE ENVIRONM ENTAL, SOCIAL, AND 31
137	137	RESILIENCY BENEFITS IN ADDITION TO NUTRI ENT AND SEDIMENT RED UCTION. 32
138	138	4 HOUSE BILL 1042
139	139
140	140
141	141	(C) TO CARRY OUT THE PURP OSE OF THE PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT 1
142	142	SHALL: 2
143	143
144	144	(1) ASSIGN A PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR AND PROVIDE FOR 3
145	145	ADEQUATE ADMINISTRAT IVE SUPPORT; 4
146	146
147	147	(2) DEVELOP, ADVERTISE, AND RECEIVE COMPETIT IVE PROGRAM 5
148	148	GRANT APPLICATIONS ; 6
149	149
150	150	(3) EVALUATE APPLICATIONS AND SELECT GRANTEES NOT LESS 7
151	151	THAN ANNUALLY ; 8
152	152
153	153	(4) ADMINISTER AND MANAGE GRANTS UNDER THE PROGRAM, 9
154	154	INCLUDING BY MONITOR ING AND EVALUATING STATE–FUNDED BEST MANAGEME NT 10
155	155	PRACTICES; AND 11
156	156
157	157	(5) COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 12
158	158	AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO PROVID E TECHNICAL 13
159	159	ASSISTANCE AND GUIDA NCE TO APPLICANTS AN D GRANTEES, INCLUDING METHODS 14
160	160	AND PROCEDURES FOR M ONITORING, EVALUATING, AND VERIFYING PROJEC T 15
161	161	OUTCOMES. 16
162	162
163	163	(D) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL BMP BEST IN SHOW 17
164	164	ACCOUNT IN THE DEPARTMENT . 18
165	165
166	166	(2) THE MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL BMP BEST IN SHOW ACCOUNT 19
167	167	CONSISTS OF: 20
168	168
169	169	(I) NOT MORE THAN $2,000,000 PER YEAR OF THE REVE NUES 21
170	170	TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT FROM THE BAY RESTORATION FUND UNDER 22
171	171	§ 9–1605.2(H)(2)(II) OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE; 23
172	172
173	173	(II) NOT MORE THAN $3,000,000 PER YEAR OF THE REVE NUES 24
174	174	TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMEN T FROM THE CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC 25
175	175	COASTAL BAYS 2010 TRUST FUND UNDER § 8–2A–02(F)(5) OF THE NATURAL 26
176	176	RESOURCES ARTICLE; 27
177	177
178	178	(III) ANY AGRICULTURAL COST –SHARE FUNDING PROVID ED BY 28
179	179	THE DEPARTMENT UNDER § 8–704 OF THIS ARTICLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE 29
180	180	PROGRAM; AND 30
181	181	HOUSE BILL 1042 5
182	182
183	183
184	184	(IV) ANY FUNDS TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT FROM 1
185	185	THE CLEAN WATER COMMERCE ACCOUNT UNDER § 9–1605.4(F)(3)(III) OF THE 2
186	186	ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE. 3
187	187
188	188	(E) (1) AN APPLICANT FOR A GR ANT UNDER THIS SECTI ON SHALL 4
189	189	DEMONSTRATE THAT ANY AGRICULTURAL OPERATI ON ON WHI CH BEST 5
190	190	MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ARE TO BE ESTABLISHE D ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY 6
191	191	NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN OR CONSERVATION PLAN REQUIRED UNDER THIS 7
192	192	ARTICLE. 8
193	193
194	194	(2) AN APPLICANT SHALL IN CLUDE A PLAN FOR THE 9
195	195	IMPLEMENTATION OF : 10
196	196
197	197	(I) NOT LESS THAN FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF B EST 11
198	198	MANAGEMENT PRACTICES , WITH PRIORITY CONSID ERATION GIVEN TO THO SE 12
199	199	PRACTICES LISTED UND ER PARAGRAPH (4)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION , DESIGNED TO 13
200	200	FUNCTION AS PART OF A COMMON PLAN TO MAX IMIZE IMPACT AND EFF ICIENCY; OR 14
201	201
202	202	(II) FOR AN OPERAT ION LOCATED IN AN OV ERBURDENED 15
203	203	COMMUNITY OR UNDERSE RVED COMMUNITY , AS DEFINED IN § 1–701 OF THE 16
204	204	ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE, A VEGETATIVE ENVIRON MENTAL BUFFER , HEDGEROW , 17
205	205	WINDBREAK , OR OTHER BEST MANAGE MENT PRACTICE OR COM BINATION OF 18
206	206	PRACTICES DESIGNED T O REDUCE EX POSURE TO AIR EMISSI ONS FROM REGULATED 19
207	207	POINT SOURCES OF POL LUTION. 20
208	208
209	209	(3) AN APPLICANT SHALL : 21
210	210
211	211	(I) PROVIDE AN IMPLEMENTA TION AND MONITORING PLAN 22
212	212	SUFFICIENT TO EVALUA TE ACHIEVEMENT OF TH E ENVIRONMENTAL , SOCIAL, 23
213	213	RESILIENCY, NUTRIENT REDUCTION , AND SEDIMEN T REDUCTION OUTCOMES OF 24
214	214	THE PROJECT; 25
215	215
216	216	(II) IDENTIFY THE WATER QU ALITY, LIVING RESOURCE , OR 26
217	217	OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS ANTICIPATED FROM THE BEST 27
218	218	MANAGEMENT PRACTICES , ALONG WITH THE ANTIC IPATED TIMELINE FOR 28
219	219	ACHIEVEMENT OF THE B ENEFITS; 29
220	220
221	221	(III) DESCRIBE ANY KNOWN AN D RELEVANT ENVIRONME NTAL 30
222	222	FEATURES THAT DEMONS TRATE HOW THE SPECIF IC LOCATIONS FOR BES T 31
223	223	MANAGEMENT PRACTICE ESTABLISHMENT ARE LI KELY TO PROVIDE A 32
224	224	PARTICULARLY ROBUST AND ACCELERATED RESP ONSE, INCLUDING 33
225	225	CONSIDERATIONS OF : 34
226	226	6 HOUSE BILL 1042
227	227
228	228
229	229	1. PROXIMITY TO WATERS OF THE STATE; 1
230	230
231	231	2. KNOWN ENVIRONMENTAL O R HYDROLOGIC 2
232	232	INFORMATION , INCLUDING GROUNDWATE R TRANSPORT RATES , POLLUTANT 3
233	233	ATTENUATION , POLLUTANT DELIVERY R ATIOS, AND SOIL TYPES; 4
234	234
235	235	3. ATTAINMENT STATUS OF WATER QUALITY 5
236	236	STANDARDS; 6
237	237
238	238	4. LOCATION WITHIN THE B UFFER OF A CHESAPEAKE 7
239	239	OR ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS CRITICAL AREA OR OTHER AREA DE SIGNATED FOR 8
240	240	REGULATION OR SPECIA L PROTECTION UNDER A STATE OR FEDERAL LAW ; AND 9
241	241
242	242	5. HUMAN POLLUTANT EXPOS URE PATHWAYS , 10
243	243	INCLUDING PROXIMITY TO NEARBY RESID ENTIAL AREAS AND ANT ICIPATED 11
244	244	IMPROVEMENTS TO DRIN KING WATER, AIR QUALITY, AND REDUCTION OF EXP OSURE 12
245	245	TO RUNOFF; AND 13
246	246
247	247	(IV) ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO INSPECT AND EVALUATE 14
248	248	BEST MANAGEMENT PRAC TICE EFFECTIVENESS , INCLUDING THROUGH 15
249	249	MONITORING AND SAMPL ING ACTIVITIES, ON AN AGREED –ON SCHEDULE . 16
250	250
251	251	(4) (I) WHEN EVALUATING APPLI CATIONS FOR THE USE OF FUNDS 17
252	252	UNDER THIS SECTION , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PRIO RITIZE BEST MANAGEME NT 18
253	253	PRACTICES THAT THE A PPLICANT DEMONSTRATE S ARE: 19
254	254
255	255	1. IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AN D LIKELY TO PROVIDE 20
256	256	ENHANCED AND ACCELER ATED BENEFITS TO A P ARTICULAR AREA OF SH ALLOW 21
257	257	WATER HABITAT ; 22
258	258
259	259	2. POTENTIALLY CAPABLE O F REDUCING POLLUTION TO 23
260	260	WATERS OF THE STATE SUFFICIENT TO R EACH AN ECOLOGICAL T IPPING POINT; OR 24
261	261
262	262	3. LIKELY TO REDUCE HEAL TH BURDENS FO R NEARBY 25
263	263	RESIDENTS THROUGH TH E REDUCTION OF EXPOS URE TO AIR POLLUTANT S OR 26
264	264	CONTAMINATED DRINKIN G WATER. 27
265	265
266	266	(II) PRIORITY BEST MANAGEM ENT PRACTICES INCLUD E: 28
267	267
268	268	1. VEGETATIVE ENVIRONMEN TAL BUFFERS , 29
269	269	HEDGEROWS , WINDBREAKS , OR OTHER PRACTICES D ESIGNED TO RED UCE THE 30
270	270	TRANSPORT OF AIR EMI SSIONS AND DEPOSITIO N; 31
271	271	HOUSE BILL 1042 7
272	272
273	273
274	274	2. STREAM EXCLUSION FENC ING; 1
275	275
276	276	3. RIPARIAN TREE PLANTIN G AND OTHER HIGH –IMPACT 2
277	277	FIXED NATURAL FILTER PRACTICES AS DEFINED IN § 8–701 OF THIS ARTICLE; 3
278	278
279	279	4. WETLAND RESTORATION O R ESTABLISHMENT ; 4
280	280
281	281	5. LAND RETIREMENT AND C ONSERVATION ; 5
282	282
283	283	6. SMALL–SCALE URBAN AGRICULT URAL PRACTICES ; 6
284	284
285	285	7. AGRICULTURAL LAND TRA NSITION PRACTICES ; 7
286	286
287	287	8. MUSSEL RESTORATION ; 8
288	288
289	289	9. BIORETENTION ; AND 9
290	290
291	291	10. AGRICULTURAL DITCH MA NAGEMENT PRACTICES , 10
292	292	INCLUDING DENITRIFYI NG BIOREACTORS . 11
293	293
294	294	(F) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH ON ITS WEBSITE A BEST 12
295	295	MANAGEMENT PRACTICE PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND ANY CRITERIA USED FO R THE 13
296	296	EVALUATION OF COMPET ITIVE APPLICATIONS , SELECTION OF GRANTEES , AND 14
297	297	PROCEDURES FOR MEASU RING THE EFFECTIVENE SS OF BEST MANAGEMEN T 15
298	298	PRACTICES THAT ARE T O BE INCLUDED IN ANY GRANT AGREEMENT . 16
299	299
300	300	(2) THE FIVE OR MORE PRAC TICES PROPOSED BY A GRANT 17
301	301	APPLICANT UNDER SUBS ECTION (E)(4)(II) OF THIS SECTION MUST MEET THE SAME 18
302	302	COMPETITIVE FUNDING CRITERIA AS THE CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL 19
303	303	BAYS 2010 TRUST FUND UNDER § 8–2A–02 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE. 20
304	304
305	305	Article – Environment 21
306	306
307	307	9–1605.4. 22
308	308
309	309	(b) There is a Clean Water Commerce Account. 23
310	310
311	311	(f) (1) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the Account may be used 24
312	312	only for the purchase of cost–effective environmental outcomes that: 25
313	313
314	314	(i) Support the State’s efforts to achieve the Chesapeake Bay 26
315	315	TMDL; and 27
316	316
317	317	(ii) Have an expected life of at least 10 years. 28 8 HOUSE BILL 1042
318	318
319	319
320	320
321	321	(3) Any unencumbered funds not used to purchase environmental 1
322	322	outcomes as specified under paragraph (2) of this subsection are: 2
323	323
324	324	(i) No longer subject to the allocation requirements specified under 3
325	325	paragraph (2) of this subsection; [and] 4
326	326
327	327	(ii) Available for use consistent with this section in subsequent fiscal 5
328	328	years; AND 6
329	329
330	330	(III) SUBJECT TO TRANSFER T O THE DEPARTMENT OF 7
331	331	AGRICULTURE TO BE USE D IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–2302 OF THE AGRICULTURE 8
332	332	ARTICLE. 9
333	333
334	334	Article – Natural Resources 10
335	335
336	336	8–2A–02. 11
337	337
338	338	(a) There is a Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund. 12
339	339
340	340	(f) (1) The Fund may be used only for the implementation of [nonpoint source 13
341	341	pollution control projects to]: 14
342	342
343	343	(i) NONPOINT SOURCE POLLU TION CONTROL PROJECT S THAT: 15
344	344
345	345	1. Support State and local watershed implementation plans 16
346	346	by targeting limited financial resources on the most effective nonpoint source pollution 17
347	347	control projects; and 18
348	348
349	349	2. IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE ATLANTIC COASTAL 19
350	350	BAYS AND THEIR TRIBUT ARIES; AND 20
351	351
352	352	(ii) [Improve the health of the Atlantic Coastal Bays and their 21
353	353	tributaries] BEST MANAGEMENT PRACT ICES IN ACCORDANCE W ITH § 2–2302 OF THE 22
354	354	AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 23
355	355
356	356	(5) UP TO $3,000,000 OF THE FUND MAY BE TRANSFERR ED TO THE 24
357	357	DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANNUALLY TO BE USED IN ACCORD ANCE WITH § 25
358	358	2–2302 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 26
359	359
360	360	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
361	361	October 1, 2024. 28