32:3-6. Condemnation of real property; entry upon lands; municipal consent; "real property" defined

ARTICLE V.

If for any of its authorized purposes (including temporary construction purposes) the commission shall find it necessary or convenient to acquire any real property in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the state of New Jersey, whether for immediate or future use, the commission may find and determine that such property, whether a fee simple absolute or a lesser interest, is required for public use and, upon such determination, the said property shall be deemed to be required for a public use until otherwise determined by the commission; and with the exceptions hereinafter specifically noted the said determination shall not be affected by the fact that such property has theretofore been taken for, or is then devoted to, a public use, but the public use in the hands or under the control of the commission shall be deemed superior to the public use in the hands or under the control of any other person, association or corporation.

If the commission is unable to agree with the owner or owners thereof upon terms for the acquisition of any such real property in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for any reason whatsoever, then the commission may acquire such real property in the manner provided by Act No. 338 of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, approved July 9, 1919, and acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, for the acquisition of real property by the aforesaid Pennsylvania commission.

If the commission is unable to agree with the owner or owners thereof upon terms for the acquisition of any such real property in the state of New Jersey for any reason whatsoever, then the commission may acquire, and is hereby authorized to acquire, such property, whether a fee simple absolute or a lesser interest, by condemnation or the exercise of the right of eminent domain, either under and pursuant to the provisions of the act of the state of New Jersey entitled, "An act to regulate the ascertainment and payment of compensation for property condemned or taken for public use" (Revision of 1900), approved March 20, 1900, and acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, or under and pursuant to the provisions of an act entitled, "An act concerning and regulating acquisition and taking of lands by the state of New Jersey or any agency thereof, providing a procedure therefor and the manner of making compensation for lands so taken," approved April 21, 1920, and the various acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto.

The power of the commission to acquire real property by condemnation or the exercise of the power of eminent domain in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of New Jersey shall be a continuing power and no exercise thereof shall be deemed to exhaust it.

The commission and its duly authorized agents and employees may enter upon any land in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the state of New Jersey for the purpose of making such surveys, maps or other examinations thereof as it may deem necessary or convenient for its authorized purposes.

However, anything to the contrary contained in this compact notwithstanding, no property now or hereafter vested in or held by any county, city, borough, village, township or other municipality, or port district, shall be taken by the commission without the consent of such municipality or port district, unless expressly authorized so to do by the commonwealth or state in which such municipality or port district is located. All counties, cities, boroughs, villages, townships, and other municipalities, and all public agencies and commissions of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of New Jersey, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, are hereby authorized and empowered to grant and convey to the commission upon its request, but not otherwise, upon reasonable terms and conditions, any real property which may be necessary or convenient to the effectuation of its authorized purposes, including real property already devoted to public use.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of New Jersey hereby consent to the use and occupation by the commission of any real property of the said two states, or of either of them, which may be, or become, necessary or convenient to the effectuation of the authorized purposes of the commission, including lands lying under water and lands already devoted to public use.

The term "real property" as used in this compact includes lands, structures, franchises and interests in land, including lands under water and riparian rights, and any and all things and rights usually included within the said term and includes not only fees simple absolute, but also any and all lesser interests such as easements, rights of way, uses, leases, licenses and all other incorporeal hereditaments, and every estate, interest or right, legal or equitable, including terms of years and liens thereon by way of judgments, mortgages or otherwise, and also claims for damage to real estate.