WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

WHEREAS, The Department of Natural Resources intends to meet
its needs for land in Garrett County by acquiring the land only
from willing sellers; and

WHEREAS, Certain owners of land in the scenic corridor of
the Youghiogheny River and elsewhere in Garrett County are
presently willing and desirous of selling their land to the
Department of Natural Resources; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly intends this Act to establish
a workable framework within which the Department of Natural
Resources and the residents and elected officials of Garrett
County can work cooperatively to implement the strict limitation
on the number of acres of land in Garrett County owned by the
Department on June 30, 1986; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

5-207.

(a) (1) The Department may purchase and manage lands in the
name of the State, suitable for forest culture, reserves,
watershed protection, State parks, scenic preserves, historic
monuments, parkways, and State recreational reserves, using for
these purposes any special appropriation or surplus money not
otherwise appropriated, which is standing to the credit of the
Forest Reserve or Park Reserve Fund. However, an individual tract
of land [in excess of 100 acres] OR EASEMENT may not be purchased
in Garrett County, except with the approval of the county
commissioners of that county. The Department may accept any gift
of land in the name of the State to be held, protected, and
administered by the Department as State parks, forests, or other
reserves, and used to demonstrate the practical utility of the
land for recreational areas, State parks, scenic preserves,
parkways, historic monuments, timber culture, water conservation,
and as a breeding place for wildlife. Any gift shall be absolute
except for the reservation of mineral and mining rights over and
under the land, and a stipulation that it shall be administered
for State forest, park, or recreation purposes.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code,
EXCEPT PARAGRAPH (4) OF THIS SUBSECTION after June 30, 1986, the
Department may not use any funds, whether under Program Open
Space or otherwise, to acquire ANY land in Garrett County in
excess of the total amount of land owned by the Department in
that county on June 30, 1986. This paragraph (2) of this
subsection does not prohibit the Department from [using any funds
to exchange] EXCHANGING land in Garrett County, as long as the
total acreage does not exceed that amount owned by the Department
on June 30, 1986.

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