502 



(e) prepare, publish and disseminate information and reports in relation to the waters 

 of the State and the resources of the tidal region and on the views, policies and recommen- 

 dations of the Department in relation thereto; 



(f) establish standards to guide the construction, operation and management of projects 

 and facilities; 



(g) plan, design, acquire, construct, reconstruct, complete, own, improve, extend, de- 

 velop, operate, maintain, and regulate any and all projects, facilities, properties, activities 

 and services, determined by the Department to be necessary, convenient or useful for the 

 purposes of this act; 



(h) negotiate for such loans, grants, services, or other aids as may be available from 

 public or private sources to finance or assist in effectuating any of the purposes of this 

 act; 



(i) adopt, amend and repeal such rules and regulations as it may deem appropriate for 

 the effectuation and enforcement of this act; 



( j) institute an action or actions in its own name to compel compliance with any and 

 all of the provisions of this act or any of the rules and regulations of the Department adopted 

 pursuant thereto; 



(k) acquire real or personal property and any interest therein as it may deem appropriate 

 for carrying out its functions under this act, by eminent domain; 



(I) hold, administer, maintain and dispose of real and personal property and any interest' 

 therein as it may deem appropriate for carrying out its functions under this act; 



(m) sell or dispose of any of its products or services and make charges in connection 

 with the use of any of its facilities; 



(n) conduct such investigations and inspections as it may deem appropriate to carry 

 out its functions under this act; 



(o) undertake or contract for with any private or governmental organization, laboratory 

 or research group, studies, surveys and experiments concerning the water resources of the 

 State. 



1.302 - Relationship of Department to Federal Government and Interstate Compact Com- 



missions 



(a) Nothing in this act shall in any way impair the powers of the United States or of 

 any agency or department thereof, over public waters. Should any conflict arise between 

 the powers of the United States and those of the Department under this act, the conflicting 

 provisions of this act shall be abrogated to the extent of the conflict. 



(b) For ail purposes the Department shall be considered the successor to the duties and 

 powers of the Tidewater Fisheries Commission as such duties and powers are specified in 

 the Potomac River Compact of 1958. To the extent that the terms of this Compact limit, re- 

 strict or otherwise conflict with the powers of the Department under this act, the Compact 

 provisions shall take precedence. After the effective date of this act, the Maryland members 

 of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission shall be appointed by the Director. 



(c) To the extent that any interstate compacts other than the Potomac River Compact of 

 1 958 to which the State is now or may become a party concern all or part of the waters of the 

 State, or the resources of the tidal region, the Department shall be the coordinating and en- 

 forcing agency of the State and shall perform all activities and functions which devolve upon 

 the State under the compact. To the extent that any such compact may limit, restrict or con- 

 flict with the powers of the Department under this act, the compact provisions shall take 

 precedence. 



1.303 - Severability 



If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or governmental 

 agency is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or any other ap- 

 plication oftheact which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and 

 to this end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable. 



