[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6652560,"mediaKeyId","2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be","parentId",2490520,"title","Oyster sanctuary funding standoff: sponsor urges pause on new federal-backed sanctuaries, advocates warn of lost restoration capacity","audioSeconds",540,"startMs",14700000,"endMs",15240000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be&start=14700&end=15240","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be/thumbnail_14700000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6652560/Maryland/Oyster-sanctuary-funding-standoff-sponsor-urges-pause-on-new-federal-backed-sanctuaries-advocates-warn-of-lost-restoration-capacity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652560-80d8fba7e6c9b29fab1fa13f9939384e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776710734&Signature=PezeOjFVZS-wEzIXnJtZax1qVctEIhonBOc-nEAMyLSMC-UU4VEcj20kVX0jpazRIK0Av6xo4kCaxPdiP2O~p6x8BV1YMlTmTnvKm8Ql2zpjw~8XgUNPO422iGgDDAetxyH5Dhw4o17lv3ZSp9gpKQzm6~Dpzn-Gdov8QFFgmCfD9hnUILfW1fCj5FVEa-2vDu1k6qjU4HNHhdWsrN5KGQFuXYwnZF-4KQ6f~bdUBfLFc5D3arFEC-2mHnBy6C0CpZfD51vkYV~h0aSI~0VsHFTeA~bN1geGSM0p3JGXd-tDzlrd15WGICzj3Lmj9IjwGW69NwCLFn9at3L3wggSWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Education, Energy and Environment","date","2025-03-04T22:55:39.89Z","article","Senate Bill 8 37 would prohibit use of federal funds for establishing new oyster sanctuaries in the Chesapeake Bay for a five-year period, sponsor Sen. Mary Beth Carozza said at a March 12 hearing of the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee.

Carozza said the intent of the measure is narrow: to stop further federally funded sanctuary designations until state policy and sanctuary management are reassessed. She cited a state analysis indicating many designated sanctuaries have not produced the expected oyster densities and argued that repeated maintenance plantings and added money have not led to self-sustaining reefs in some government-sanctioned sites.

\"This legislation is drawing a line in the sand,\" Carozza said. \"It simply says no additional federal funding for new sanctuaries in the Chesapeake Bay. It allows federal funding to continue to go into existing sanctuaries, to research and hatcheries, but stops new sanctuary expansions until we get the approach right.\"

Oyster and restoration advocates pushed back. Lisonbee Colden of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said sanctuary investments that have received federal funding are generally in better condition than they were at designation and that declining state funding had in prior years allowed other jurisdictions to capture federal grants instead. \"Turning away federal funding will not help,\" Colden testified; she urged continued federal-state cooperation to improve outcomes.

Experts from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science described the role of the Horn Point hatchery in producing spat and larvae used across restoration and aquaculture and said a federal funding pause could jeopardize hatchery production and staff capacity. Local volunteer and aquaculture groups said targeted federal dollars supported community projects that were showing measurable gains in specific sub-bays.

Supporters of the bill said the sanctuary model adopted in Maryland differs from Virginia’s and that Virginia’s approach — including rotational harvest in some areas — has produced stronger results. Talbot County watermen and commercial harvesters urged the committee to limit new sanctuaries that, they argued, had restricted traditional fisheries while failing to provide durable oyster recovery.

The committee heard competing written and oral testimony from watermen, conservation groups, scientific institutions and local community advocates. No committee vote was taken. Witnesses agreed on one practical point: the state must coordinate better on sanctuary targets, measures of success and funding priorities.

Ending: Lawmakers will weigh whether a temporary pause on federally backed new sanctuaries would create space for an overhaul of Maryland’s sanctuary strategy or instead hamper ongoing restoration projects and hatchery capacity that depend on federal support.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","EEE Committee Session, 3/4/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 8 37 would prohibit use of federal funds for establishing new oyster sanctuaries in the Chesapeake Bay for a five-year period, sponsor Sen. Mary Beth Carozza told the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee.","taxTitle","Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15092,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6652566,"Senate hearing on phased ban of lead ammunition draws wide testimony from hunters, conservation and public-health groups",741,2169000,2910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be&start=2169&end=2910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be/thumbnail_2169000.jpg","/articles/6652566/Maryland/Senate-hearing-on-phased-ban-of-lead-ammunition-draws-wide-testimony-from-hunters-conservation-and-public-health-groups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652566-f64cd9cca3bef2143469dd10012cd009/orig.mp4?Expires=1776710734&Signature=XiaZ3y9RRg-VtqMCeI2d7qVF1lLaG09k-~k9n7FqSmQREIYUqxhkSqtXQFwaBCek1iyOeUYYagsMI0aoi6Hxyh1OJTcBVBLQjMBuxNblCz8vrhSpFZG2RGlkTpVr4cirRVDzBEZ8CurZQ2D7C0JQYsZsDqQNAT~o97t93RAoDlGV2L0WOfuz8Av-mygKj~rkF1Un3BWeOJQjexOetjEUU2DPE0wfoZZiJFJnsgkJzCsHOev2gFk9-cf5eQal-RaHKpFjUWVuYCDvRudW0VcX9ffFy0hOoVIHJQKsqfP5pkAzpCI~2TwWbZvRZTehzjf5AZPF6bjkQdcwaBZkpSuaaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 6 34 would phase out the use of lead ammunition for hunting in Maryland over a multi-year schedule, sponsor Sen. Karen Lewis Young told the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee on March 12.

The bill aims to reduce lead exposure to wildlife and people by replacing lead shot and bullets with non-lead alternatives; supporters said evidence links lead fragments in game meat and carcasses to poisoning of scavenging birds and human consumers.

\"Lead is a serious problem for wildlife,\" said Dr. Bradley Stevens, emeritus professor of marine science at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, testifying for conservation groups. \"Lead poisoning is a major threat to people and animals and restoring safer ammunition is a reasonable public-health and conservation step.\"

Sponsor Lewis Young described a four-year phase-out schedule in which regulations would initially forbid lead for pen-raised birds (2026), expand to upland game birds (2027), add wild turkey and webless migratory birds (2028) and finish with deer and all other game species in 2029. She said alternative ammunition types (copper, steel, bismuth) are widely available and often similar in price once supply scales.

Supporters included wildlife rehabilitators, conservation groups and public-health advocates. Suzanne Schumaker, executive director of Owl Moon Raptor Center, described repeated admissions of raptors with measurable lead levels and said treatment rarely reverses long-term damage. Earthjustice and Humane Society witnesses cited peer-reviewed research finding lead fragments in processed venison and risks to children and other consumers.

Opponents — including hunting and firearms advocacy groups, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Safari Club International — asked for voluntary incentive programs rather than mandates. They testified that some non-lead alternatives are not available in every cartridge, that older firearms may not stabilize some non-lead bullets, and that a mandated phase-out could raise costs for hunters and complicate hunting-derived conservation funding.

The Maryland Association of Wildlife Conservation and representatives of organized hunts said the sponsor’s amendment removing unrelated provisions (fox-chasing language) made the bill more acceptable; others representing fox-chasing groups said they sought separate regulatory clarity.

Several witnesses urged a slower timeline or incentive-based approaches used in other states — for example Arizona’s voluntary program and New York’s rebate program — to encourage hunter adoption without a mandate.

The committee heard technical evidence and personal testimony from veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, conservation groups and hunting industry representatives. No formal committee action was taken at the hearing; sponsors and stakeholders signaled willingness to work on amendments that address supply and implementation.

Ending: Committee members asked for follow-up data on ammunition availability, cartridge compatibility and impacts on hunter recruitment and food pantry donations; the sponsor said she was open to targeted amendments but reiterated the public-health and wildlife evidence supporting a phase-out.","Senate Bill 6 34 would phase out the use of lead ammunition for hunting in Maryland over a multi-year schedule, sponsor Sen. Karen Lewis Young told the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee on March 12.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6652571,"Moore, administration push Housing for Jobs Act to speed approvals in job-rich areas",1200,6720000,7920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be&start=6720&end=7920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be/thumbnail_6720000.jpg","/articles/6652571/Maryland/Moore-administration-push-Housing-for-Jobs-Act-to-speed-approvals-in-job-rich-areas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652571-a1a2c418506625546ef7290433e54622/orig.mp4?Expires=1776710734&Signature=bMM3fEzFtfoFZ8LGotDFe9XC1AiMQroLG4ytpsaDU7FogMBzjCbXXl1u6~uuJyszz0zP7wFcY9YYWd-OnJaBWUEwBsKYiJP8awrFdKUyLYSOE6pKL1lBADlaebe9XSDw03uizbKEg4pkh9xepROpRDgQXxzX67TPq0eiJg3zVc4Jw7Uer26kGAJzl50MUVpL8rQT4lEgTBJqicBYn2zzoxHywmyVqTUu7Xu1LgJ~VaCP1XICn65I9iAzCwzujPFYmYYPfYHrxMPVMc5FvFl~CXPryzzKzkGm0yi9wPTS62A7QT8gmPBb9yb~y2X62EiL~ZrQl6BzE8uoe6sbMhYfqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Housing for Jobs Act would require clearer, objective review standards in jurisdictions with more jobs than housing to speed new housing production, Gov. Wes Moore and state officials told the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee on March 12.

The bill matters because Maryland faces a persistent housing shortage that stakeholders said is driving workers out of state, raising costs for employers and limiting economic growth.

\"We are taking these steps without heavy-handed preemption,\" Gov. Wes Moore said. \"We are simply asking our local partners to enforce the planning and zoning ordinances that they have already chosen to adopt.\" Moore and his cabinet described SB 430 as a set of procedural changes intended to reduce delay and unpredictable denials that make projects financially infeasible.

Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jake Day told the committee that objective, consistently applied criteria for local approvals can raise housing production rates and pointed to other states that have adopted similar measures. \"It is proven that objectively applied laws and standards can increase the rate of housing production by 33%,\" Day said.

Labor Secretary Portia Wu focused on the workforce consequences. She said the state is short tens of thousands of workers in health care, education and transportation and that housing costs and commutes are top reasons young workers leave Maryland. \"To retain and attract the talent our state needs we need communities where young people and families can afford to live,\" Wu said.

Business groups including the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and real-estate and building trade groups supported the bill, presenting estimates that closing Maryland's infrastructure gap could generate more than $1.1 billion in new state tax revenue and $1.6 billion for local governments if 149,206 units were built.

Opponents representing county and municipal associations urged caution and asked for more time to negotiate language. They flagged timeline requirements, the availability of local administrative capacity and the bill’s enforcement mechanisms, including a private right to sue when local review is deemed unreasonably delayed. Maryland Association of Counties representatives said the state did not consult them before the bill was filed and asked for amendments to preserve local planning authority and avoid unintended litigation.

Supporters said the measure includes safeguards: it does not mandate upzoning, it relies on jurisdictions’ own objective criteria and it allows denials when objective standards or clear health and safety concerns are met. Secretary Day said regions with housing infrastructure gaps would be identified and counties would be apportioned targets based on jobs in the region, not by arbitrary statewide quotas.

The bill drew nearly three hours of testimony from the governor, agency secretaries, business and housing advocates, county and municipal officials, affordable housing developers, and community groups. Polling cited during testimony showed broad public support for clearer approval standards and shorter permitting times.

What's next: Committee members asked administration and local government representatives to continue negotiations on amendments. The governor's office and local government associations scheduled follow-up talks later in the week.

Ending: Supporters framed SB 430 as a procedural fix intended to reduce project uncertainty and increase housing supply near employment centers; critics urged changes to protect local planning discretion and avoid costly litigation. The committee will consider amendments before deciding whether to report the bill out.","Housing for Jobs Act would require clearer, objective review standards in jurisdictions with more jobs than housing to speed new housing production, Gov. Wes Moore and state officials told the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee on March 12.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6652551,"Senate panel hears bill to allow agriculture department tools for catastrophic deer damage on farms",318,16356000,16674000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be&start=16356&end=16674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be/thumbnail_16356000.jpg","/articles/6652551/Maryland/Senate-panel-hears-bill-to-allow-agriculture-department-tools-for-catastrophic-deer-damage-on-farms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652551-b62b14272376a17b2de1644388b41b6f/orig.mp4?Expires=1776710734&Signature=AKGj4aTozOcZ-t41TW9WQl0M~I8zbqnxSE9FumeUxp7UTdZtCSzvK0PHpKLVNYq5r-JDrJ1rB6tl6S75TT6BRJFEGw00-BgeNmx4Nn~qzW7fNltefwmMOmlECjKOzej6uNOCP5mvZrsrxRFs3R8Uo8hxDAsSYUSRoog7qboBhMgjZB~-2ViSAVeDjnwPZisrHBGLa6DZuGacOmr8jacwhp7zPkyyKJgcyN1WXxa-NEHRe2KxgHq6mjOne2PT2FE4ytkF7Hk2Vs8S7g991eDPNnYm5Y6P~WPEwOGwxalQVFavmN4dkVOKgBcY5CNF0Cb~6r5Fz0BtSk~w9nleA4k~NA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 9 58 would authorize the Maryland Department of Agriculture to determine when a farm has suffered catastrophic wildlife damage (using the Farm Service Agency threshold of 50% unharvestable loss) and, when that determination is made, to direct expanded removal tools beyond standard hunting seasons and permits, sponsor Sen. Johnny Mautz said at a March 12 hearing.

Proponents described a small number of farms with repeated, devastating losses over multiple years. Farmer John Swain said repeated deer damage left fields fallow and forced some farmers to rent land rather than continue production. \"When it gets to that point, we give it up and let somebody else deal with it,\" Swain told the committee.

Supporters said existing deer depredation permits and voluntary hunter matching programs have helped in some cases but are insufficient for catastrophic events, and that covered actions should be narrowly targeted, transparent and accountable. The bill would require documentation and reporting of any expanded removal, and Department of Agriculture would report harvests to DNR.

Agricultural associations said the bill was narrow in scope and would be used only when farms meet the catastrophic loss threshold. They described the approach as a toolbox: additional authorities could include emergency sharpshooter operations, extended harvest timing in localized areas, or contracted removal by third parties subject to reporting requirements.

Opponents were limited at the hearing; committee members asked for detail on oversight, safeguards for hunters and neighbors, and the relationship to existing crop-insurance and USDA programs. Witnesses indicated that federal programs (USDA/APHIS sharpshooter arrangements) have been used but that scale and timing can be limiting.

Ending: The committee asked the sponsor and stakeholders to provide draft regulatory guardrails addressing safety, reporting, interagency coordination, and limits on scope and duration before any final committee vote.","Sen. Johnny Mautz introduced SB 9 58 to allow the Maryland Department of Agriculture to declare 'catastrophic' deer damage (50% crop loss standard) and to use expanded tools — including sharpshooters and expanded harvest windows under coordinated programs — to address repeated losses to farms. Farmers and agricultural groups testified that",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6652556,"Senators back tools for commercial harvest as industry seeks to expand blue catfish removals",109,17066000,17175000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be&start=17066&end=17175","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490520-d98204f06ddf76df4c1c5e24dfdf61be/thumbnail_17066000.jpg","/articles/6652556/Maryland/Senators-back-tools-for-commercial-harvest-as-industry-seeks-to-expand-blue-catfish-removals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652556-da13e797cac63ee0c82e9a32fe96f509/orig.mp4?Expires=1776710734&Signature=BZS2ciQqgUONfHwJG5Uv19dIcGflERqFSE1Z0ZzMVLAFY7Z8t77mG6~Npr6-AQ1yArrcFLA1AKfAcvnexX35v-Esb3p3FZa3D81oXXOnKxvA5JNkJmIRY0N0r2Woya~xO3Z4r2AP1dmW20ArsW8r6QSImVUvir0aesyhjNgEBVdTK4b7IQ8tzAvf0eO2Zy2vyougfXEUum6z-h~z99fNQ4Tc4K-yKeHvJAGKYjBYnbmsWM8yg03E3AGIE~-k9OLEuAcrcuYoU~PKSXkUbspJd2~4RbUWnKcwcHu98ur52Hp3iYnor47Be-Ddeh3-U7JbsQ9dqQV2UkND5P3jaPVMnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 9 60 would change Maryland’s rules to allow additional commercial tools to harvest invasive blue catfish, including longer trot lines, relaxed hook limits on trot lines, and authorization to use electrofishing in targeted pilot areas, sponsor Sen. Johnny Mautz said at a March 12 committee hearing.

Proponents said the measures respond to an urgent ecological and market problem: blue catfish are abundant in many tributaries and are a top predator that harms native species and juvenile fish; at the same time market demand for processed blue catfish has risen and processors say they can expand sales if harvest levels increase.

\"We need more fish,\" said merchant-processor Nick Hargrove, who testified he had invested in a USDA processing plant and processed roughly 2.3 million pounds in a prior year. \"To meet market demand this year we're probably going to need to cut around 7 to 8 million pounds of blue catfish.\" Hargrove and Maryland Watermen Association representatives urged legislative action to expand legal harvest methods and support pilot electrofishing programs used in neighboring states.

Watermen and commercial harvesters asked the committee to remove limits that make some gear impractical, including the current 1,200-foot limit on trot lines; the bill would allow 2,400 feet and ease corrosion-hook restrictions that limit effective catch. Proponents said electrofishing — already used under permit in Virginia and North Carolina — can target blue catfish efficiently, especially in summer and winter windows when conventional harvest is less effective.

Opponents did not dominate the hearing; committee members asked regulatory questions about bycatch, habitat impacts, and how pilot electrofishing would be restricted to minimize impacts on non-target species. Sponsor and industry witnesses said pilot programs would be developed with the Department of Natural Resources and would include monitoring and safeguards.

The bill also would require the Department of Agriculture to study how to develop a commercial blue catfish fishery, including market pathways and potential regulatory changes.

Ending: The committee heard industry warnings about declining recruitment of desired native species and pleas for practical harvesting tools; it sought assurances about monitoring, bycatch protections and interagency coordination for any electrofishing pilot. The bill will proceed to further review and possible amendments.","Sen. Johnny Mautz and commercial suppliers backed SB 9 60 to add harvesting tools for invasive blue catfish — including longer trot lines and permission for electrofishing — and to require a study to develop a commercial blue catfish fishery. Industry witnesses said demand and processing capacity exist but harvest and seasonal gaps limit supply;","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oyster sanctuary funding standoff: sponsor urges pause on new federal-backed sanctuaries, advocates warn of lost restoration capacity

Senate hearing on phased ban of lead ammunition draws wide testimony from hunters, conservation and public-health groups

Moore, administration push Housing for Jobs Act to speed approvals in job-rich areas

Senate panel hears bill to allow agriculture department tools for catastrophic deer damage on farms

Senators back tools for commercial harvest as industry seeks to expand blue catfish removals