Environment - Wetlands - Landward Boundaries

HB 1023 requires land created under tidal wetlands licenses to be described using metes and bounds (a precise survey method) instead of general descriptions. It mandates the Maryland Department of the Environment to update wetland landward boundaries on maps or aerial photos (at a 1-inch-to-200-feet scale) after shoreline stabilization projects authorized under existing law. The bill directly affects landowners with tidal wetlands licenses and the Department of the Environment, which must adopt regulations to implement these changes. It amends Maryland’s Environment Code (Sections 16-103 and 16-206) and takes effect October 1, 2025.