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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="5-904" title_number="5" title_name="Water Resources" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Nontidal Wetlands">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department may delegate all or part of its authority under this subtitle to any county that enacts a nontidal wetland protection program by December 31, 1994 that meets at least the minimum standards adopted by the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>After December 31, 1994, the Department may delegate all or part of its authority under this subtitle to a county that applies to the Department to initiate a nontidal wetland protection program and meets at least the minimum standards adopted by the Department.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Department shall establish a schedule for acceptance of applications from counties to initiate programs under this paragraph that provides a limited period of time once every 2 years for counties to submit their applications to the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A delegation in accordance with this subsection:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May not be effective for more than 2 years; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>May be renewed by the Department for additional 2-year periods.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>After an opportunity for a hearing and upon a finding that the county program is not being administered in a manner consistent with the standards adopted by the Department, the Department may withdraw program delegation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Any regulated activity undertaken by a unit of State government shall comply with the provisions of this subtitle, including the provisions of this subtitle requiring the issuance of a nontidal wetland permit by the Department. The unit is not required to have local government approval.</text>
  </level>
</section>
