(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    “Conservation land” means real property that is:

(i)    subject to a perpetual conservation easement donated to a land trust, the Department of Natural Resources, or the Maryland Environmental Trust on or after July 1, 1991;

(ii)    1.    acquired by a land trust on or after July 1, 1991; and

2.    owned in fee by that land trust;

(iii)    owned by the Potomac Conservancy; or

(iv)    owned by the Western Shore Conservancy.

(3)    “Land trust” means a qualified conservation organization as defined in § 3-2A-01 of the Natural Resources Article.

(b)    The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City or the governing body of a county or municipal corporation may grant, by law, a property tax credit against the county or municipal corporation property tax imposed on conservation land or property owned by a land trust that qualifies under subsection (d) of this section, that is used:

(1)    to assist in the preservation of a natural area;

(2)    for the environmental education of the public;

(3)    generally to promote conservation;

(4)    for the maintenance of:

(i)    a natural area for public use; or

(ii)    a sanctuary for wildlife; or

(5)    to conserve agricultural land and to promote continued agricultural use of the land.

(c)    The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City or the governing body of a county or municipal corporation may provide, by law, for:

(1)    the amount and duration of the property tax credit under this section; and

(2)    any other provision necessary to carry out the property tax credit under this section.

(d)    To qualify for a property tax credit under this section, a land trust shall:

(1)    be certified by the Maryland Environmental Trust to be a land trust in good standing and to have a cooperative agreement in effect; and

(2)    obtain a written certification every 5 years beginning July 1, 1998, or as scheduled by the Maryland Environmental Trust.