§184-3.5 Park acquisition trust fund; "acquire a park" program. (a) There is established in the state treasury a fund to be known as the park acquisition trust fund, which shall be administered by the department to acquire lands for the state park system through the condemnation of private lands.

(b) There shall be deposited into the fund the following:

(1) Contributions received by the State that are designated for a particular proposed or existing park or parks;

(2) All other gifts, bequests, appropriations, or other contributions of money or other property not otherwise conditioned; and

(3) All interest earned or accrued on moneys in the fund.

(c) All moneys in the fund shall be expended by the department for the condemnation of private lands to:

(1) Create new proposed state parks; and

(2) Expand existing state parks.

(d) All contributions to the fund pursuant to subsection (b)(1) that are earmarked for a particular proposed or existing park or parks shall be expended for that purpose; provided that if no condemnation action has been initiated within five years after the receipt of that contribution, the contribution may be applied toward the condemnation for any other state park in the county for which the contribution was originally earmarked.

(e) The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources shall establish an "acquire a park" program to encourage state residents to assist in the acquisition of lands for the state park system through the condemnation of private lands. As part of this program, the chairperson shall identify and provide a description of proposed parks to be acquired by the State and advertise this information in newspapers of general circulation in the State and in the county in which the proposed park is to be situated, as well as other appropriate broadcast and electronic media, including the Internet.

(f) The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources, with the assistance of the director of taxation, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement this section. [L 1997, c 242, §2]