Sec. 8. (a) A port authority is an instrumentality of the state and shall have full power and authority independent of any political subdivision to do the following:

(1) Purchase, construct, sell, lease, and operate docks, wharves, warehouses, piers, and other port, terminal, or transportation facilities within its jurisdiction consistent with the purposes of the port authority and make charges for the use thereof.

(2) Straighten, deepen, and improve any canal, channel, river, stream, or other water course or way which may be necessary or proper in the development of the facilities of such port.

(3) Establish dock lines, piers, and other facilities necessary to the conduct of pleasure boating within the territory under the jurisdiction of the port authority.

(4) Regulate and enforce the regulation of all uses and activities related to the port in the area under the jurisdiction of the port authority and determine the use of land adjacent to waters under the jurisdiction of the port authority within a reasonable distance from the shore lines of such waters. However, this subdivision does not:

(A) affect the requirement that special standards for the safe operation of watercraft on public waters must be adopted by rule by the department of natural resources under IC 14-15-7-3; or

(B) authorize the assessment by the port authority of a charge or fee for the passage of a watercraft through the navigable waters of the state.

(5) Acquire, own, hold, sell, lease, or operate real or personal property for the authorized purposes of the port authority.

(6) Apply to the proper authorities of the United States pursuant to appropriate law for the right to establish, operate, and maintain foreign trade zones within the limits of the port authority and establish, operate, and maintain such foreign trade zones.

(7) Exercise the right of eminent domain to appropriate any land, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, or other property necessary or proper for the construction or the efficient operation of any facility of the port authority, award damages to landowners for real estate and property rights appropriated and taken or injuriously affected, and in case the board of directors of the port authority cannot agree with the owners, lessees, or occupants of any real estate selected by them for the purposes herein set forth, proceed to procure the condemnation of the same as hereinafter provided, and in addition thereto, when not in conflict or inconsistent with the express provisions of this chapter, proceed under the general laws of the state of Indiana governing the condemnation of lands and the rights-of-way for other public purposes which may be in force at the time, and the provisions of such laws are hereby extended to ports and harbors and to the properties of port authorities as provided for herein so far as the same are not in conflict or inconsistent with the terms of this chapter. In any such proceeding prosecuted by the board of directors of a port authority to condemn or appropriate any land or the use thereof or any right therein for purposes permitted by this chapter, the board and all owners and holders of property or rights therein sought to be taken shall be governed by and have the same rights as to procedure, notices, hearings, assessments of benefits and awards, and payments thereof as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by law for the appropriation and condemnation of real estate, and such property owners shall have like powers and rights as to remonstrance and of appeals to the circuit or superior courts in the county in which such property sought to be appropriated is located. However, the payment of all damages awarded for all lands and property or interests or rights therein appropriated under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid entirely out of funds under the control of such port authority, except for the following:

(A) Upon written application of any property owner affected, any municipal corporation, or, as to areas outside the boundaries of a municipal corporation, any county, participating in the creation of a port authority, after ten (10) days written notice to the port authority and public hearing had thereon, may revoke the right of eminent domain to be exercised by the port authority as to any parcel or parcels of land inside its borders within sixty (60) days after the port authority has by resolution announced the lands, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, or other property to be taken.

(B) Nothing herein contained shall authorize a port authority to take or disturb property or facilities belonging to any public corporation, public utility, or common carrier, which property or facilities are necessary and convenient in the operation of such public corporation, public utility, or common carrier, unless provision is made for the restoration, relocating, or duplication of such property or facilities, or upon the election of such public corporation, public utility, or common carrier, for the payment of compensation, if any at the sole cost of the port authority, subject to the following:

(i) If any restoration or duplication proposed to be made hereunder shall involve a relocation of such property or facilities, the new facilities and location shall be of at least comparable utilitarian value and effectiveness and such relocation shall not impair the ability of the public utility or common carrier to compete in its original area of operation.

(ii) Provisions for restoration or duplication shall be described in detail in the resolution for appropriation passed by the port authority.

(8) Accept, receive, and receipt for federal moneys, and other moneys, either public or private, for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, or operation of a port or harbor or other navigation facilities, and sites therefor and comply with the provisions of the laws of the United States and any rules and regulations made thereunder for the expenditure of federal moneys upon such ports and other navigation facilities.

(9) Maintain such funds as it deems necessary.

(10) Direct its agents or employees, when properly identified in writing, and after at least five (5) days written notice, to enter upon lands within the confines of its jurisdiction in order to make surveys and examinations preliminary to location and construction of works for the purposes of the port authority, without liability of the port authority or its agents or employees except for actual damage done.

(11) Sell or lease real and personal property not needed for the operation of the port authority and grant easements or rights-of-way over property of the port authority.

(12) Promote, advertise, and publicize the port and its facilities, provide traffic information and rate information to shippers and shipping interests, and appear before rate making authorities to represent and promote the interests of the port.

(13) Borrow money and secure the borrowing by a pledge of the following:

(A) Accounts receivable.

(B) A security interest in capital equipment for which the proceeds of the loan are used.

(C) Other security, including the excess of unobligated revenues over operating expenses.

(b) The term of a loan authorized by subsection (a)(13) may not exceed:

(1) thirty-five (35) years, in the case of a loan made before July 1, 2011; or

(2) twenty-five (25) years, in the case of a loan made after June 30, 2011.

Formerly: Acts 1959, c.343, s.8; Acts 1965, c.390, s.1. As amended by Acts 1979, P.L.89, SEC.1; Acts 1981, P.L.11, SEC.52; P.L.103-1993, SEC.3; P.L.1-1995, SEC.56; P.L.49-2010, SEC.2; P.L.229-2011, SEC.100.