Maryland § 3-210

§ 3-210.

    (a)    (1)    Any function or activity of the Governor’s Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful is transferred to the Trust.

        (2)    These functions and activities include, by way of enumeration and not limitation:

            (i)    Educating Maryland citizens and visitors in their individual responsibility in litter prevention and care of the out–of–doors through a two–fold approach:

                1.    Awareness–publicity through radio, TV, newspapers, and other public media; and

                2.    Action–cleanup and beautification projects carried out by civic organizations, county committees, and community groups in cooperation with public agencies;

            (ii)    Efficient use of public and private funds spent on cleaning up highways, parks, beaches, and other public and private property;

            (iii)    Increasing beauty through stimulation of private business, community, and public planting projects; and

            (iv)    Stimulating pride and appreciation for home, community, and State.

    (b)    (1)    In fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $235,000 to the Trust, to be used in the following amounts for the following purposes:

            (i)    $50,000 per year to provide land stewardship capacity–building grants of up to $10,000 to land trusts to support monitoring and stewardship scholarships, land monitoring and stewardship equipment, or organizational accreditation and certification trainings;

            (ii)    $50,000 per year to provide land stewardship improvement grants of up to $10,000 to land trusts to support improved monitoring and stewardship of agricultural lands, forest lands, or lands facing a high degree of threat from invasive species or the effects of climate change; and

            (iii)    $135,000 per year to provide citizen stewardship grants of up to $5,000 to nonprofit organizations, community organizations, schools, and municipal corporations to engage community members, especially children and young adults, in environmental education and stewardship.

        (2)    Funds provided to the Trust under paragraph (1) of this subsection are supplemental to and are not intended to take the place of funding that would otherwise be appropriated to the Trust for grants administered under the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program.