HB 723

Natural Resources – Forest Preservation and Retention

Sponsor: Delegate LoveCommittee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Natural Resources - GenerallyStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 541 (as of Nov 9, 2023)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering the definition of 'qualified conservation' for purposes of provisions of law related to forest mitigation banks; altering certain methods of calculating forest afforestation, reforestation, and preservation requirements; authorizing local jurisdictions to adopt certain alternative afforestation, reforestation, and preservation requirements; requiring the Department of Natural Resources to establish a workgroup to evaluate and recommend incentives for private landowners to conserve forest; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (47)

MGA witness list

FAV 28FavorableFWA 10Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 4Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Gramp, Kathleen	Advocates for Herring Bay	Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnston, Matthew	Arundel Rivers Federation	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ross, Gabrielle	Assateague Coastal Trust	Position only
FAV	Brown, Jim	Audubon Mid-Atlantic	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Position only
FAV	Perry, Reedlobbyist	Chesapeake Conservancy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Position only
FAV	Smith, Virginia	Indivisible HoCo Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rose, Jodilobbyist	Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake	Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps, Jr., Kenneth	Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network	Written (PDF)
FAV	allen, gary	Maryland Forestry Foundation	Oral
FAV	Olszewski, Marisa	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schwarz, Kurt	Maryland Ornithological Society	Written (PDF)
FAV	Guitarra, Denisselobbyist	Nature Forward	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Nicholas, Betsy	Potomac Riverkeeper Network	Position only
FAV	Kelleher, Zack	ShoreRivers	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fountain, Lily	Sierra Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Love, Delegate Lovelegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Fischler, Benjamin	Individual	Position only
FAV	Fisher, Eriklobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gingold, Janet	Individual	Oral
FAV	Griffith, Anna	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hoffman, Mark	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kerr, Cait	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Love, Sara	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Metchis, Karen	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Soreng, Nancy	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Haines, Kevin	Maryland Building Indiustry Association	Oral
UNF	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Bailey Thupari, Angelica	Maryland Municipal League	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Enten, Robert	Md Bankers Assoc	Oral
UNF	Wessel, Matthew	Rodgers Consulting Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Greenberg, Joshua	Baltimore County	Written (PDF)
FWA	Wilkins, Michael	Frederick County Government	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Venable, Victorialobbyist	Frederick County Government - Office of the County Executive	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Butchko, Dominic	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Goshorn, David	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Hinson, Joe	Maryland Forests	Written (PDF)
FWA	May, Lisalobbyist	Maryland REALTORS	Written (PDF)
FWA	Elrich, Marc	Montgomery County Government	Written (PDF)
FWA	Alsobrooks, Angela	Prince George's County Executive	Position only
FWA	Ballentine, Tom	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Chesapeake Conservancy, Chesapeake Conservancy	Chesapeake Conservancy	Written (PDF)
INFO	BaucumColbert, Jordan	M-NCPPC - Governement Affairs Liaison	Written (PDF)
INFO	Taddei, Kristin	Montgomery County Planning - MNCPPC	Oral
INFO	Reiser, Megan	Prince George's County Planning - MNCPPC	Oral