No. 6 2/22/07
A bill introduced this week by the
Chairwoman of the Environmental Matters Committee, Delegate Maggie McIntosh,
would raise up to $45 million per year for agricultural conservation programs.
The bill, H.B. 1220, can be viewed at the following link: http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/bills/hb/hb1220f.pdf.
The bill assesses a fee on new impervious surfaces in the state at the time a
building permit is requested. The funds (up to $130 million per year) would be
used for programs to protect the Chesapeake Bay from stormwater runoff, to help
local governments address planning needs, to conduct agricultural research, to
incentivize workforce housing, and to implement agricultural best management
practices. The fee is $2.00 per square foot for new impervious surfaces outside
a Priority Funding Area (PFA or designated growth area) and 25 cents per square
foot inside a PFA. The fee can be reduced through mitigation projects. One of
the goals of the bill is to encourage growth into the designated growth areas
and to discourage development pressure in the rural and farm areas. The bill
exempts farm buildings from the impervious surface fee. Maryland Farm Bureau is
working on an amendment to clarify the exemption to cover all farm buildings,
lanes, structures and other improvements installed as part of a farm operation.
Maryland Farm Bureau supports the concept of providing new funds to the
conservation programs available to farmers. We also support the effort to
relieve development pressure on farmland. We are, however, still analyzing the
impact of the bill on the overall rural community. We are also working to make
sure the language in the bill is consistent with our policy. Farm Bureau members
with comments and suggestions about the bill can email Val Connelly at
valeriec.mdfb@erols.com.
Hearings and briefings next week include:
H.B. 544 – Income Tax – Credit for
Cellulosic Ethanol Technology Research and Development – Delegate Ross
WAYS AND MEANS, 130 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill creates an income tax credit for expenses related to research and
development of cellulosic ethanol technology. It would allow for an individual
or corporation to claim an amount equal to 10% of the total funds expended for
qualified research and development, but may not exceed $3,000 a year. If the
credit exceeds the tax liability in a given year, it can be carried over into
succeeding taxable years for up to 15 years or until the excess is used,
whichever comes first. The bill authorizes a total of $3 million per year for
this tax credit. Cellulosic sources of ethanol are essentially low-cost sources
of biomass and can include corn stover (the stalks and residue left after
harvest), grain straw, quick-growing tree varieties, and even municipal waste.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the cost of producing ethanol could
be reduced by as much as $0.60 a gallon by 2015 with the use of cellulosic
conversion technology.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 544.
S.B. 498 Smart Growth – Priority Funding Areas – Rural Counties - Senator
Brinkley
EDUCATION, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, 2 West Miller SOB at 1:00pm
This bill defines “rural county” as it relates to “smart growth” funding
procurement as a county in which a majority of the total acreage is devoted to
farming or similar agricultural purposes. It also expands the definition of a
priority funding area (PFA) that can be designated by a county’s governing body
to include those areas of a rural county that have a population of less than
6,000 people and that are totally dependent upon groundwater sources for the
their community water system. Under current law, areas designated as PFAs are
eligible to receive state technical assistance and funding related to population
growth. FOR INFORMATION ONLY
HB 49 - Communications Towers - Zoning and Other Regulatory Approval -
Adjacent Local Jurisdiction – Delegate Oaks
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 250 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill would prohibit the regulatory or zoning approval of a communications
tower proposed for a location within 500 yards of another local jurisdiction
without first satisfying the zoning and regulatory requirements of both
jurisdictions. Approval would also be contingent upon a written statement from
each jurisdiction verifying the proposed tower is compliant with all applicable
requirements. This will increase the hurdles required to put up cell towers on
private land. This is an emergency bill.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU OPPOSES H.B. 49.
S.B. 442 – Property Tax – Agricultural Use Assessment – Migrant Labor Camps –
Senator Colburn
BUDGET AND TAXATION, 3 West Miller SOB at 1:00pm
For property tax purposes, this bill will allow property used as a Migrant Labor
Camp to qualify to be valued and assessed at the agricultural use value. A
“Migrant Labor Camp” is defined as “a structure, building, or converted
building; a tent; barracks; and a vehicle, trailer or motor home.” To qualify
for the ag use assessment, the property owner must hold a valid permit to
operate the migrant labor camp issued by the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene. Before issuing the permit, the DHMH inspects all housing facilities
subject to the permit. Due to the seasonal nature and limited time frame for
harvesting fresh market fruits and vegetables, many Maryland farmers employ (and
provide temporary housing for) migrant laborers. MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS
S.B. 442.
H.B. 974 – Agricultural Land Preservation – Easements – Future Dwelling House –
Del. Stocksdale
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 250 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill allows a landowner who is selling an easement to the Maryland Agland
Preservation Foundation to exclude a 1 acre parcel for a future dwelling house
without actually having to pay for the cost of the survey upfront. Instead, all
parties would agree that a 1 acre parcel will be developed in the future and the
exact location will be mutually agreed upon between MALPF and the owner at the
time the landowner chooses to build. The landowner would have the 1 acre parcel
deducted from the value of the easement up front. The bill also stipulates that
the lot could not be subdivided from the farm. According to MALPF this process
is already available through the use of an unrestricted lot in an easement
negotiation.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY
H.B. 1041 – Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Fund – Grants to Counties –
Del. Rudolph
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 250 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill would allow the Maryland Agland Preservation Foundation to provide
grants to counties to facilitate the purchase of easements, subject to
conditions jointly agreed to by the Foundation and the county. If passed, the
bill would streamline the use of Installment Purchase Programs and would allow
the farmer selling an easement to choose between a state or local IPA. The bill
would also facilitate the use of local bond bills to purchase a large number of
easements now and then use future funding from the state to service the debt
rather than buy new easements. MALPF may submit amendments to clarify that the
local bonds may not be secured by future MALPF funding.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 1041.
H.B. 906/ S.B. 496 – Procurement – Public Schools and Facilities – Preference
for Locally Grown Foods – Delegate Lawton / Senator Raskin
HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, 240 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, 2 West Miller, Friday 2/2/07 at 1pm
This bill encourages each county Board of Education to purchase locally grown
food products for schools. The bill allows the Board to accept a bid for the
purchase of food that is 5% above the lowest bid if the food item is grown in
Maryland.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 906 and S.B. 496
H.B. 1035 – Maryland Tort Claims Act – Employee or Official of the MARBIDCO –
Del. Rudolph
JUDICIARY, 100 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill would protect an employee of the MARBIDCO from being sued for actions
taken as a state employee. To do this the bill adds MARBIDCO to the list of
state entities that are considered to have “State personnel” for the purposes of
protection under the Maryland Tort Claims Act.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 1035.
H.B. 465 – Real Property – Conservation Easements –
Notification of Buyers – Delegate James
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 250 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
The bill requires the seller of property to notify a potential buyer of the
existence of all conservation easements encumbering the property. The seller
must provide the potential buyer with copies of the easement prior to entering
into a contract or within 20 days after signing a contract. If the potential
buyer did not have copies of all easements 5 days prior to signing a contract,
the buyer may cancel the contract within 5 days of receiving the copies of the
easements. If the sale proceeds, the buyer must notify the easement holder of
the change in ownership within 30 days of closing.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 465.
H.B. 73 – Maryland Estate Tax – Family Property Protection Act – Delegate Krebs
WAYS AND MEANS, 130 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill increases the unified credit used to determine Maryland estate tax
from $1 million to $2 million. (The 2007-2008 federal exemption is $2 million.
In 2009 the federal exemption will increase to $3.5 million) The bill also
repeals a requirement that the tax be determined without regard to the deduction
for state death taxes under federal estate tax. The changes apply to decedents
dying after December 31, 2006.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 73.
H.B. 516/ S.B. 558 – Local Governments – Impact Fees and Building Excise Taxes –
Workforce Housing Exemption – Delegate Barve / Senator Garagiola
WAYS AND MEANS, 130 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, 2 West Miller, Friday 2/2/07 at 1pm
This bill authorizes a county that imposes a development impact fee or building
excise tax to grant exceptions from or credits against the development impact
fee or building excise tax for developments that include workforce housing.
Workforce housing would be defined by the governing body of the county. FOR
INFORMATION ONLY
H.B. 633 – Maryland Estate Tax – Exclusion of Family Farm Subject to
Agricultural Preservation Easement – Delegate Glassman
WAYS AND MEANS, 130 Taylor House Office Building at 1:00pm
This bill excludes from the Maryland Estate Tax the value of any real property
that is subject to a MD Agland Preservation Foundation (MALPF) easement or a
county Agland Preservation easement when it passes from the decedent to a
spouse, parent, grandparent, child, spouse of a child, lineal descendant of a
child or a brother or sister. MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 633.
FARM BILL BUDGET EXPECTED TO DECREASE---Attendees at the National Ethanol
Conference heard from top government officials regarding the 2007 farm bill.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. Collin Peterson, (D-Minn.) said that
projected spending in the farm bill would be about 45 percent less than last
year because of Congressional Budget Office projections for high corn, soybean
and other crop prices.
The Bush administration’s farm bill proposal would cost taxpayers about $2
billion a year less than the current farm law, mainly because of the expected
increase in crop prices. However, spending on conservation programs would grow
by $7.8 billion. Peterson said he wants to increase conservation spending and
put up to $6 billion a year into research for renewable fuels, primarily
cellulosic ethanol made from corn leaves and other plants. Adapting dried
distillers grains so it can be more readily consumed by livestock will also be a
focus of research, Peterson said. He said he favored taking government loan
guarantee programs for building renewable energy plants out of the Department of
Energy and moving them to the Department of Agriculture.
CONGRESSMAN GILCHREST’S AGRICULTURAL TOWN MEETINGS:
If you live in the 1st Congressional District, please try to attend one of
Congressman Gilchrest’s Agriculture town meetings to discuss the upcoming Farm
Bill re-write. Next week’s meetings are:
Monday, February 26th at 8:30am at the Linkwood-Salem Volunteer Fire Co.
Monday, February 26th at 7:00pm at the USDA Service Center in Princess Anne
Tuesday, February 27th at 8:00am at the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company
Tuesday, February 27th at noon at the MD Cooperative Extension office in Harford
Co.
The Hotline will be posted on the MFB website at the end of each week. Our
website address is www.mdfarmbureau.com. The Maryland General Assembly’s website
can also serve as a valuable tool for legislative information. The Home Page
offers the proceedings and agendas of the House and Senate, hearing schedules,
bill information and status, and other data about the Maryland General Assembly.
Plus, there are links available to other related websites. The website is
updated nightly, and may be accessed at www.mlis.state.md.us .