Opinion ID: 2289766
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Wetlands Act of 1970 and Sections 15A and 15B of the Public Local Laws of Worcester County

Text: The Wetlands Act of 1970 is a comprehensive act which makes the first substantial changes in the rights granted to riparian owners in over 100 years. It repeals Sections 45, 46 and 47 of the long standing Act of 1862, which as we have heretofore seen was the wellspring of riparian rights during the past century. In addition, it repealed Section 485 of Article 27 of the Maryland Code which controlled the right to dig, dredge, take and carry away sand, gravel or other materials from the bed of rivers, creeks, or branches of navigable waters. The repeal of these statutes by the Legislature was unqualified and thus applies to every county and every body of navigable water in the State. Section 1 of the Act (Ch. 241 of the Acts of 1970) added new sections 718 through 731 to Article 66C. Section 3 of the Act specifically provides that it shall in no way affect the provisions of §§ 15A and 15B of the Public Local Laws of Worcester County. [4] It should be noted, however, that there is no express language stating that the Wetlands Act of 1970 should not apply to Worcester County. Additionally, we would note that the sweeping concept of the language found in section 1 of the Act leaves little doubt but that the Legislature intended it to have state-wide application: It is declared that in many areas of the State much of the wetlands have been lost or despoiled by unregulated dredging, dumping, filling, and like activities, and that the remaining wetlands of this State are in jeopardy of being lost or despoiled by these and other activities; that such loss or despoliation will adversely affect, if not entirely eliminate, the value of such wetlands as sources of nutrients to finfish, crustacea and shellfish of significant economic value; that such loss or despoliation will destroy such wetlands as habitats for plants and animals of significant economic value and will eliminate or substantially reduce marine commerce, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment; and that such loss or despoliation will, in most cases disturb the natural ability of tidal wetlands to reduce flood damage and adversely affect the public health and welfare; that such loss or despoliation will substantially reduce the capacity of such wetlands to absorb silt and will thus result in the increased silting of channels and harbor areas to the detriment of free navigation. Therefore, it is declared to be the public policy of this State, taking into account varying ecological, economic, developmental, recreational and aesthetic values, to preserve the wetlands and to prevent the despoliation and destruction thereof. We think it would be of particular importance to a riparian owner of Worcester County (now that the reclamation and wharfing privileges formerly granted by the Act of 1862 and the dredging privileges contained in Article 27, § 485 have been unqualifiedly repealed) that he have the benefit of the rights assured to riparian owners by Section 720 of the Wetlands Act of 1970 (Art. 66C). We do not think the Legislature intended that the property owner on navigable waters anywhere in Worcester County be deprived of the benefits of Section 720 of the new Act which provides among other benefits that: The owner of land bounding on navigable waters shall be entitled to all natural accretions to said land and to make improvements into the waters in front of said land for the purposes of preserving his access to navigable water or for protecting his shore against erosion. After an improvement has been constructed, it shall become the property of the owner of the land to which it is attached. None of the rights covered under this subheading shall exclude the owner from developing other uses as approved by the Board of Public Works. Larmar and Adkins argue that although the Wetlands Act of 1970 repeals Sections 45, 46, and 47 of the Act of 1862, that Sections 15A and 15B of the Public Local Law preserves to the riparian owner the right by permit to dredge and fill in the Isle of Wight Bay and Assawoman Bay and that Section 15B by implication gives the right to dredge and fill elsewhere in Worcester County upon permit and under the control of the Worcester County Shoreline Commission. However, it would appear to us that the rights assured to the riparian owner under Sections 15A and 15B are not as broad as those accorded the riparian owner under the Wetlands Act of 1970, particularly those set forth in the above quoted Section 720 of Article 66C. There are a number of other provisions in the Act which logic dictates should apply on a state-wide basis and therefore to Worcester County. Summarized are some of the more significant provisions of the Act: Section 721 makes it unlawful for any person to dredge or fill on any State wetlands unless he had a license issued by the Board of Public Works for such consideration, and according to such terms and conditions as it deems advisable. Certain exceptions are made for such things as the dredging of seafood products by licensed operators and the improvement of wildlife habitat or agricultural ditches. Section 721 also makes the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources the State official charged with the responsibility of implementing and administering the Act. With respect to private wetlands he is empowered, under Section 722, to promulgate rules and regulations governing dredging, filling, removing, or otherwise altering or polluting private wetlands. However, notwithstanding any rule or regulation promulgated by the Secretary for the protection of private wetlands, the owner of private wetlands is authorized under Section 723 to make the following uses of his lands: (1) Conservation of soil, vegetation, water, fish, shellfish and wildlife. (2) Trapping, hunting, fishing, and shellfishing where otherwise legally permitted. (3) Exercise of riparian rights to make improvements to lands bounding on navigable waters to preserve access to such navigable waters or to protect the shore against erosion. Section 724 directs the Secretary to make an inventory of all private wetlands within the State and to prepare wetlands boundary maps for each subdivision of the State. The Secretary is further directed to establish by order the bounds of such wetlands and the rules and regulations applicable thereto. Section 725 sets forth the procedure by which a person affected by the Secretary's rules and regulations can appeal to the board of review of the Department of Natural Resources, the Circuit Court and the Court of Appeals. Section 726 establishes the procedure for obtaining a permit by a person who proposes to conduct an activity upon a wetland which is not permitted by the Secretary's rules and regulations and Section 727 provides the guidelines, conditions and appeal provisions covering the Secretary's action in granting, denying or limiting a permit. Section 728 concerns appeals from the board of review of the Department of Natural Resources, Section 729 concerns court costs and Section 730 provides for fines, imprisonment and restoration of affected wetlands in the event that a person knowingly violates the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary or any provision in Sections 718-731 of Article 66C. Section 731, the last of the new sections of Article 66C, provides that no riparian owner shall be deprived of any rights of riparian ownership that he had prior to July 1st, 1970, except as provided by §§ 718-731 of Article 66C. We do not believe that it can be seriously argued that the limited provisions of §§ 15A and 15B of the Code of Public Local Laws of Worcester County can fill the vacuum left by the repeal of the Act of 1862 and Article 27, § 485. We think that the Legislature intended that a dual system should exist in Worcester County whereby the Public Local Law operates in concomitance with the Wetland Act of 1970. See 30 Md. L. Rev. 240 at 255, wherein it is stated: This dual permit system appears desirable since it would allow local supervision of land reclamation projects as well as control by a panel of experts of State authorities who would evaluate the environmental repercussions of any dredging and filling. [5] In view of what we have stated we reach the conclusion that any land filling, reclamation, dredging or other alterations of the shoreline of Larmar, the riparian owner in this case, which has been undertaken or may be undertaken after July 1, 1970, the effective date of the Wetlands Act, requires compliance with the provisions of that Act. [6]