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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="2-1212" effective_note="EFFECTIVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2031 PER CHAPTER 645 OF 2021" title_number="2" title_name="Ambient Air Quality Control" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>It is the policy of the State to support and encourage public and private tree–planting efforts, with a goal of planting and helping to maintain in the State 5,000,000 sustainable trees of species native to the State by the end of calendar year 2031.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>This goal:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Is in addition to any trees projected to be planted under programs described in the 2019 Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Includes native tree plantings accomplished through State programs and through the efforts of nonprofit and private organizations.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>It is the intent of the General Assembly that at least 500,000 of the 5,000,000 trees called for by this subsection should be planted in an “underserved area”, as defined in § 8–1911 of the Natural Resources Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Is responsible for tracking the State’s progress toward meeting the goals established under subsection (a) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Shall serve as the lead agency to receive data from:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The Maryland Department of Agriculture regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and other agricultural initiatives;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The Department of Natural Resources regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund, the Mel Noland Woodland Incentives Fund, and other forestry initiatives; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The Chesapeake Bay Trust regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Urban Trees Program.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>There is a 5 Million Tree Program Coordinator within the Department.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The primary responsibility of the Program Coordinator is to promote, facilitate, and align the State’s efforts to achieve the goals established under subsection (a)(1) of this section.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>On or before December 1 each year, the Program Coordinator shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Consolidate data on tree plantings from multiple sources; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Environment and Transportation Committee on the State’s progress toward meeting the goals established under subsection (a) of this section.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Governor shall formally pledge the State’s commitment to achieving the goals established under subsection (a) of this section through the U.S. Chapter of the World Economic Forum’s One Trillion Trees Initiative.</text>
  </level>
</section>
