(a) (1) It is the policy of the State to support and encourage public and private tree-planting efforts, with a goal of planting and helping to maintain in the State 5,000,000 sustainable trees of species native to the State by the end of calendar year 2031.

(2) This goal:

(i) Is in addition to any trees projected to be planted under programs described in the 2019 Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan; and

(ii) Includes native tree plantings accomplished through State programs and through the efforts of nonprofit and private organizations.

(3) It is the intent of the General Assembly that at least 500,000 of the 5,000,000 trees called for by this subsection should be planted in an “underserved area”, as defined in § 8-1911 of the Natural Resources Article.

(b) (1) The Department:

(i) Is responsible for tracking the State’s progress toward meeting the goals established under subsection (a) of this section; and

(ii) Shall serve as the lead agency to receive data from:

1. The Maryland Department of Agriculture regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and other agricultural initiatives;

2. The Department of Natural Resources regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund, the Mel Noland Woodland Incentives Fund, and other forestry initiatives; and

3. The Chesapeake Bay Trust regarding tree plantings accomplished through the Urban Trees Program.

(2) (i) There is a 5 Million Tree Program Coordinator within the Department.

(ii) The primary responsibility of the Program Coordinator is to promote, facilitate, and align the State’s efforts to achieve the goals established under subsection (a)(1) of this section.

(iii) On or before December 1 each year, the Program Coordinator shall:

1. Consolidate data on tree plantings from multiple sources; and

2. Report, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Environment and Transportation Committee on the State’s progress toward meeting the goals established under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Governor shall formally pledge the State’s commitment to achieving the goals established under subsection (a) of this section through the U.S. Chapter of the World Economic Forum’s One Trillion Trees Initiative.