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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="5-1003" title_number="5" title_name="Pesticide and Pest Control" subtitle_number="10" subtitle_name="Nuisance Insects">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with the State budget and subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall implement a program to use Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to control or eliminate nuisance insects in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The program shall be implemented on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>State–owned property;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Property owned by a local government with the consent of the local government; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Private property with the consent of the property owner.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>To carry out the program, the Secretary may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Treat property with an aerial spraying or backpack spraying of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Conduct field studies to determine the need for, location, and time of spraying;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Schedule spraying when the conditions are optimal for ingestion by nuisance insects;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Notify appropriate persons of the date and location of an upcoming spraying; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Review the effectiveness of spraying.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Notice provided under subsection (a)(3)(iv) of this section shall, at a minimum, be:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Provided to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Local press outlets;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>County and local governments that are in the area that will be affected by the spraying;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Emergency responders and associated agencies that service the area that will be affected by the spraying; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The local riverkeeper for the area that will be affected by the spraying; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Posted on appropriate social media sites.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Secretary shall carry out a project to use Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to control or eliminate nuisance insects under this section if the county or municipality in which the nuisance insects are located agrees to pay 50% of the costs associated with the project.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Secretary shall remit any payment from a county or municipality received under this subsection to the Comptroller for deposit to the Nuisance Insects Fund, established under § 5–1004 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
