MD SB428

Establishes the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program with a dedicated fund requiring at least $900,000 annually starting FY 2026, providing tiered recognition and incentives for farmers adopting conservation practices including cover crops, healthy soils, riparian buffers, and renewable energy

Creates a Water Quality Monitoring Program within the Department of Natural Resources to improve statewide water quality data collection, guide watershed restoration efforts, and make monitoring information publicly available for recreational use

Streamlines fisheries management by allowing the Department of Natural Resources to manage species under Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or federal plans, reducing the list of species requiring state-specific management plans from 25 to 7 (white perch, yellow perch, oysters, blue crabs, hard shell clams, catfish, and cownose ray)

Expands the Whole Watershed Restoration Partnership by adding expedited permitting provisions requiring the State management team and project sponsors to develop permitting plans identifying all required state and federal permits, timelines, and agency contacts

Requires the Department of the Environment by December 31, 2025 to authorize oyster restoration projects funded by government sources to generate water quality trading credits and develop a certification process for those credits