§ 8-403. Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board

   (a) Established; composition; chairman; compensation. --

   (1) There is a Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board. The Board consists of the Secretaries of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and the Environment and the Director of Planning and a member of the Garrett County Commissioners, who shall be a voting member of the Board only on matters pertaining to the wild portion of the Youghiogheny River.

   (2) The members of the Board shall select the chairperson.

   (3) A member of the Board:

      (i) May not receive any compensation for the member's services; but

      (ii) Shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses and disbursements made in order to attend any meeting or perform any other official duty.

(b) Duties. -- In addition to the duties set forth elsewhere in this subtitle, the Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board shall:

   (1) Review:

      (i) Any inventory, study, plan, and regulation that is prepared under this subtitle; and

      (ii) The recommendations on the inventory, study, plan, and regulation of the Secretary, any local governing body, or any local advisory board;

   (2) Meet regularly; and

   (3) Appoint, with the advice and consent of the appropriate local governing body, a local scenic and wild river advisory board for each river that is included in the Scenic and Wild Rivers Program.

(c) Advisory board -- Composition; residence; selection of members. --

   (1) Each local scenic and wild river advisory board consists of at least 7 members, except for the Youghiogheny local Scenic and Wild River Advisory Board that consists of at least 8 members.

   (2) Each member of a local scenic and wild river advisory board shall reside in the county through which the scenic and wild river flows.

   (3) The Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board shall select the members of each local advisory board as follows:

      (i) At least 2 members shall own land contiguous to the scenic or wild river, except for the Youghiogheny River where at least 3 members shall own land contiguous to that portion of the river designated by § 8-408(a) of this subtitle as a wild river;

      (ii) At least 2 members who own land that is not contiguous to the scenic or wild river;

      (iii) 1 member shall represent the local governing body; and

      (iv) 2 members from the county soil conservation district.

(d) Advisory board -- Composition where wild river flows through more than one county. -- If a scenic or wild river flows through more than 1 county, the local advisory board shall consist of no more than the following members:

   (1) 2 residents of each county through which the scenic or wild river flows who own land contiguous to the scenic or wild river;

   (2) 2 residents of each county through which the scenic or wild river flows who do not own land contiguous to the scenic or wild river;

   (3) 2 representatives of the local governing body of each county through which the scenic or wild river flows; and

   (4) 1 representative of each soil conservation district through which the scenic or wild river flows.

(e) Advisory board -- Duties. -- Each local scenic and wild river advisory board shall:

   (1) Review any inventory, study, plan, and regulation that is proposed under this subtitle and is applicable to any river in its jurisdiction;

   (2) Make recommendations on the inventory, study, plan, and regulation to its local governing body and to the Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board;

   (3) Select its own chairperson; and

   (4) Adopt its own administrative regulations for the operation of the local advisory board.

(f) Advisory board -- Compensation; meetings. --

   (1) Each member of a local advisory board may not:

      (i) Receive compensation for service; or

      (ii) Be reimbursed for expenses incurred in travel or for attending meetings or performing any official duty.

   (2) The Secretary shall schedule meetings for each local advisory board. However, in the event of emergencies, the chairperson of a local advisory board may schedule meetings for the local advisory board.

(g) Designation of scenic river advisory boards by local governing bodies. -- Upon completion of an approved management plan, the local governing body may establish a scenic river advisory board for each designated scenic or wild river within its jurisdiction. Each board, as constituted by the local authority, may recommend policies, laws, and regulations in furtherance of the aims of this subtitle to the appropriate local governing body. If a scenic or wild river flows through more than 1 county, the scenic river advisory board may consist of an equal number of members from each county.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 760; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1975, ch. 493; ch. 612, § 1; 1976, ch. 70; 1977, ch. 183; ch. 784, § 5; 1978, chs. 869, 962; 1982, ch. 911, § 10; 1983, ch. 8; 1984, ch. 285, § 2; ch. 734; 1985, ch. 10, § 3; 1987, ch. 306, § 3; 1989, ch. 540, § 1; 1990, ch. 6, § 2; 1991, ch. 55, § 6; 1992, ch. 432; 1993, ch. 5, § 1.