CHAPTER 198

An Act to provide for the survey and establishment of the Upper Poco-
moke Sound portion of the Virginia-Maryland boundary line.
[H 628]

Approved March 13, 1968

Whereas, the boundary line between the States of Virginia and Mary-
land from the District of Columbia to the Atlantic Coast off Popes Island
was established by the Black-Jenkins Award of eighteen hundred seventy-
seven, and such award was surveyed and marked in nineteen hundred
twenty-nine, by the Mathews-Nelson Survey, in its entire length from the
District of Columbia to the Atlantic Coast, with the exception of approxi-
mately seven miles in Upper Pocomoke Sound, in Accomack County, Vir-
ginia and Worcester County, Maryland; and

Whereas, controversy has arisen in this area on many occasions about
the exact location of such boundary line, and recent United States Coast
and Geodetic survey charts are in conflict as to such location; now, there-

ore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Marine Resources Commission, formerly the Commission
of Fisheries, hereinafter in this act referred to as “Commission”, is author-
ized, subject to the conditions set forth in § 3 of this act, to undertake,
jointly with the Department of Chesapeake Bay Affairs of the State of
Maryland, hereinafter in this act referred to as ‘“‘Department’’, with the
assistance of the engineering staffs of such agencies, to establish, mark
and identify such seven mile portion of the boundary line in an acceptable
engineering manner.

§ 2. When the Commission and the Department have agreed upon
an acceptable boundary line, they shall report the specific metes and bounds
thereof to the Governors of the two States, respectively. The Governor of
each State, upon approval by him of such boundary line, shall cause the
necessary legislation to be introduced in the next session of the General
Assembly of his State for the purpose of establishing such line as the
boundary line between the two States in such waters.

Upon passage by the General Assembly of Maryland of an act
embodying provisions similar to the provisions of this act, and approval
thereof by the Governor of Maryland, the Commission is authorized to
begin such joint survey with the Department.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.