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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="8-803.6" title_number="8" title_name="Soil Conservation" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Nutrient Management">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall, in consultation with the University of Maryland, establish a program to certify professional fertilizer applicators.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The certification program shall provide professional fertilizer applicators with training and education in the following subject areas:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The proper use and calibration of fertilizer application equipment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The hazards involved in, and the environmental impact of, applying fertilizer, including nutrient pollution to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Surface water subject to the jurisdiction of the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>A pond within the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>A lake within the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>A river within the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>A stream within the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>A public ditch within the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="8">
          <text>A tax ditch within the State; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="9">
          <text>A public drainage system within the State, other than those designed and used to collect, convey, or dispose of sanitary sewage;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>All applicable State and federal laws, rules, and regulations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The correct interpretation of fertilizer labeling information; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The recommendations developed by the University of Maryland for nutrient management on turf, including the appropriate time to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Apply fertilizer when rain is forecast; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Apply fertilizer when soils are wet and the potential for fertilizer movement off–site exists.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>In establishing the certification program, the Department may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Charge reasonable fees, including an annual recertification fee, to cover costs associated with the certification program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Require continuing education or training for professional fertilizer applicators;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Designate one or more entities to train, certify, and recertify professional fertilizer applicators, which may charge fees to cover the reasonable costs associated with the certification training and education; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Recognize the training program of an entity employing professional fertilizer applicators if the program meets the certification and recertification training and education standards established by the Department under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Department shall publish and maintain a list of all certified professional fertilizer applicators and make the list available on the Department’s Internet Web site.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Department may adopt regulations to implement this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
