Bill > S504

This bill establishes the municipal reforestation program to allow municipalities access to funding and technical assistance to plant, replace, and maintain trees within their communities. The key provisions include: 1. Establishing an urban forest advisory council to provide advice and technical assistance to municipalities, tree-planting organizations, and state agencies on implementing the program. 2. Requiring the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, in consultation with the secretary of transportation, to establish the municipal reforestation program to fund and support tree planting and maintenance in municipalities. 3. Mandating municipalities to develop and submit a municipal reforestation plan for approval, which must include an inventory of existing tree canopy, analysis of optimal planting sites, and plans for tree maintenance and community engagement. 4. Prioritizing tree planting in neighborhoods with low tree canopy cover, high levels of particulate pollution, environmental justice communities, and heat islands. 5. Allowing municipalities to use program funds to plant trees on private property, with the property owner responsible for maintenance. 6. Requiring the secretary to report annually on the program's results. 7. Dedicating a percentage of the state's market-based compliance mechanism revenue from the transportation sector to fund the municipal reforestation program.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S504