EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0837*
SENATE BILL 837
M2 5lr3431
CF HB 1022
By: Senators Mautz, Bailey, and Hershey
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Oyster Restoration – Use of Federal Funds – Prohibition 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Department of Natural Resources from using federal 3
funds for oyster restoration projects in State waters during a certain period of time, 4
subject to a certain exception; and generally relating to oyster restoration. 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Natural Resources 7
Section 4–1014(a) and (b) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Natural Resources 12
Section 4–1016 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Natural Resources 18
4–1014. 19
(a) There is established a network of oyster sanctuaries in the five tributaries 20
identified by the Department for large–scale restoration in accordance with the 2014 21
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. 22
(b) In accordance with subsection (a) of this section: 23
2 SENATE BILL 837
(1) There is an oyster sanctuary in Harris Creek that includes all of the 1
waters of Harris Creek enclosed by a line beginning at a point on the east shore of Tilghman 2
Island defined by Latitude 38 degrees 42.241 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 19.997 3
minutes west; then running northerly to a point on the south shore of Knapps Narrows, 4
defined by Latitude 38 degrees 42.925 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 19.709 minutes 5
west; then running 49 degrees true to a point on the north shore of Knapps Narrows, 6
defined by Latitude 38 degrees 43.035 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 19.547 minutes 7
west; then running northerly along the west shore of Harris Creek to its headwaters and 8
then southerly along the east shore of Harris Creek to a point on the shore of Change Point 9
defined by Latitude 38 degrees 43.008 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 17.656 minutes 10
west; then running 247 degrees true to the point of beginning; 11
(2) There is an oyster sanctuary in the Little Choptank River that includes 12
all of the waters of the Little Choptank River upstream of a line beginning at a point on the 13
shore of Susquehanna Point defined by Latitude 38 degrees 30.642 minutes north, 14
Longitude 76 degrees 15.492 minutes west; then running 329 degrees true to a point on 15
shore at the south end of Ragged Point Island, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 31.886 16
minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 16.440 minutes west; 17
(3) There is an oyster sanctuary in the Tred Avon River that includes all of 18
the waters of the Tred Avon River north and east of a line beginning at a point on the shore 19
on the east side of Town Creek, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 41.835 minutes north, 20
Longitude 76 degrees 9.923 minutes west; then running 255 degrees true to a point defined 21
by Latitude 38 degrees 41.823 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 9.981 minutes west; 22
then running 0 degrees true to a point on the shore of the east side of Plaindealing Creek, 23
defined by Latitude 38 degrees 42.576 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 9.978 minutes 24
west; 25
(4) There is an oyster sanctuary in the St. Mary’s River that includes all of 26
the waters of the St. Mary’s River beginning at a point on the shore southwest of Deep Point 27
defined by Latitude 38 degrees 11.279 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 26.639 minutes 28
west; then running 89 degrees true to a point on the shore at Church Point defined by 29
Latitude 38 degrees 11.286 minutes north, Longitude 76 degrees 26.263 minutes west; and 30
(5) There is an oyster sanctuary in the Manokin River that includes all of 31
the waters of the Manokin River upstream of a line beginning at a point on the shore of 32
Hazard Point defined by Latitude 38 degrees 4.571 minutes north, Longitude 75 degrees 33
52.694 minutes west; then running 306 degrees true to a point on the shore at Pin Point on 34
Little Deal Island, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 6.750 minutes north, Longitude 75 35
degrees 56.552 minutes west; and east of a line beginning at a point on the shore at the 36
north end of Little Deal Island, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 7.695 minutes north, 37
Longitude 75 degrees 56.816 minutes west; then running 209 degrees true to a point on the 38
shore on the west side of Lower Thorofare, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 7.652 minutes 39
north, Longitude 75 degrees 56.847 minutes west; and southeast of a line beginning on the 40
shore on the east side of Laws Thorofare, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 8.904 minutes 41
north, Longitude 75 degrees 55.964 minutes west; then running 251 degrees true to a point 42 SENATE BILL 837 3
on the west side of Laws Thorofare, defined by Latitude 38 degrees 8.873 minutes north, 1
Longitude 75 degrees 56.077 minutes west. 2
4–1016. 3
(A) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN OYSTER RESTORAT ION PROJECT 4
IN AN OYSTER SANCTUARY IDE NTIFIED UNDER § 4–1014 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 5
(B) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, FROM JULY 6
1, 2025, TO JUNE 30, 2030, BOTH INCLUSIVE, THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT USE 7
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR OY STER RESTORATION PRO JECTS IN STATE WATERS. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of June 30, 2030, 10
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 11
of no further force and effect. 12