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SB 176

Agriculture - Soil Conservation and Water Quality Plan - Uses of Information

2025 Regular Session

Authorizes MDA to obtain and use soil conservation and water quality plan data held by soil districts to enforce nutrient management laws, with confidentiality safeguards.

Hearing canceled
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 176

SB 176 — Agriculture: Soil Conservation & Water Quality Plans — Uses of Information

Status: Introduced (legislative hearing marked as canceled)
Introduced: January 2025 (departmental bill requested by Maryland Department of Agriculture)
Subject area: Agriculture / soil conservation / nutrient management

Main purpose

Authorize the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to obtain and use information contained in a soil conservation and water quality plan held by a soil conservation district supervisor for purposes of enforcing Maryland’s Nutrient Management Law (Title 8, Subtitle 8 of the Agriculture Article).

Background / intent

  • Under current law soil conservation and water quality plans must be retained by district supervisors and are already available to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for sediment-control enforcement; MDA may presently use plan data only for limited statistical purposes.
  • The State’s Nutrient Management Law requires many agricultural and livestock operations to have and implement nutrient management plans; MDA administers that program and enforces compliance (including penalties, license actions, and certification of nutrient management consultants).
  • This bill seeks to align access to district-held plan information so MDA can request and use plan information to support nutrient management compliance and enforcement.

Key provisions

  • Amend Article — Agriculture § 8‑306 to authorize a soil conservation district supervisor to make a soil conservation and water quality plan available to MDA for enforcement actions under Title 8, Subtitle 8 (the Nutrient Management Law).
  • Maintains existing confidentiality protections: plan information must be maintained and handled in a manner that protects the identity of the person for whom the plan was prepared (consistent with existing protections for MDE access).
  • Clarifies the scope of authorized uses so MDA can use plan information beyond statistical purposes, specifically for compliance assessment and enforcement under nutrient management statutes and regulations.

Who is affected

  • Maryland Department of Agriculture: gains explicit statutory authority to obtain and use plan information to support nutrient management enforcement.
  • Soil conservation districts and supervisors: required to provide plans on request (subject to confidentiality protections).
  • Farmers, agricultural operations, and nutrient management consultants: their plan contents may be accessed by MDA to evaluate compliance; identity protections remain required.
  • Local governments/agencies: no new local funding or program required beyond current operations.

Fiscal and operational impact

  • MDA and soil conservation districts reported the bill would not materially affect State finances or operations; districts can implement the change with existing resources.
  • Departmental fiscal analysis and the Department of Legislative Services indicated minimal or no fiscal impact; no anticipated significant impact on small businesses.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Departmental bill requested by MDA; introduced in the 2025 session (committee hearing noted as canceled on provided calendar).
  • If enacted, the statutory amendment would take effect upon the bill’s effective date as provided in the legislation.

If you want, I can:
- Draft a short one‑page explainer for outreach to district supervisors or farmers.
- Flag specific regulatory or procedural steps MDA would likely take to implement the new access authority.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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