Representative important species (RIS) are those species selected by the applicant and approved by the Department that exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:

1. A. Species that are sensitive to adverse harm from operations of the facility (for example, heat-sensitive species);
2. B. Species that use the local area as spawning or nursery grounds, or both, including those species that migrate past the facility to spawn;
3. C. Species of commercial or recreational value, or both;
4. D. Species that are habitat formers and are critical to the functioning of the local ecosystem;
5. E. Species that are important links in the local food web;
6. F. Rare, threatened, or endangered species;
7. G. Potential nuisance organisms likely to be enhanced by plant operations.

Authority: Environment Article, §§9-313—9-316, 9-319, 9-320—9-325, and 9-328, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: September 1, 1974 (1:1 Md. R. 33)

COMAR 10.50.01.05, .06, and .13 recodified to COMAR 26.08.03.01, .02, and .03, respectively

Regulation .01 amended effective November 5, 1984 (11:22 Md. R. 1899)

Regulation .02 amended effective November 5, 1984 (11:22 Md. R. 1899)

Regulation .02C amended effective May 18, 1979 (6:10 Md. R. 841)

Regulation .03 adopted effective May 19, 1978 (5:10 Md. R. 777)

Chapter revised effective June 27, 1988 (15:13 Md. R. 1556)

Regulation .01 amended affective May 27, 2002 (29:10 Md. R. 827)

Regulation .01A amended affective September 28, 2015 (42:19 Md. R. 1229)

Regulation .01B amended affective April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 854); May 17, 2021 (48:10 Md. R. 402); May 30, 2022 (49:11 Md. R. 610)

Regulation .02 amended effective April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 854)

Regulation .02D adopted effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 422)

Regulations .03—.05 repealed and new Regulations .03—.05 adopted effective February 19, 1990 (17:3 Md. R. 301)

Regulation .03C amended affective July 5, 2004 (31:13 Md. R. 995)

Regulation .06 adopted effective May 1, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 911)

Regulation .06 amended effective November 6, 1995 (22:22 Md. R. 1670)

Regulation .06B, C amended effective April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 854)

Regulation .06D amended effective March 25, 1996 (23:6 Md. R. 477)

Regulation .07 adopted effective April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 854)

Regulation .07 amended effective June 7, 1993 (20:11 Md. R. 917)

Regulation .08 adopted effective January 2, 1995 (21:26 Md. R. 2195)

Regulation .08 amended effective June 29, 1998 (25:13 Md. R. 996)

Regulation .09 adopted effective January 12, 2009 (36:1 Md. R. 24)

Regulation .09F repealed effective June 18, 2018 (45:12 Md. R. 619)