143B-135.12. Power to acquire lands as State parks, and other recreational areas; donations or leases by United States; leases for recreational purposes.

(a) The Department may acquire by gift, purchase, or condemnation under the provisions of Chapter 40A of the General Statutes, areas of land in different sections of the State that may in the opinion of the Department be necessary for the purpose of establishing or developing State parks, and other areas and developments essential to the effective operation of the State park activities under its charge. Condemnation proceedings shall be instituted and prosecuted in the name of the State, and any property so acquired shall be administered, developed, and used for public recreation and for other purposes authorized or required by law. Before any action or proceeding under this section can be exercised, the approval of the Governor and Council of State shall be obtained and filed with the clerk of the superior court in the county or counties where the property is located. The Attorney General shall ensure that all deeds to the State for land acquired under this section are properly executed before the gift is accepted or payment of the purchase money is made.

(b) The Department may accept as gifts to the State any submarginal farmland acquired by the federal government that is suitable for the purpose of creating and maintaining game refuges, public shooting grounds, State parks, State lakes, and other recreational areas, or to enter into longtime leases with the federal government for the areas and administer them with funds secured from their administration in the best interest of longtime public use, supplemented by any appropriations made by the General Assembly. The Department may segregate revenue derived from State hunting and fishing licenses, use permits, and concessions and other proper revenue secured through the administration of State game refuges, public shooting grounds, State parks, State lakes, and other recreational areas to be deposited in the State treasury to the credit of the Department to be used for the administration of these areas.

(c) The Department, with the approval of the Governor and Council of State, may enter into leases of lands and waters for State parks, State lakes, and recreational purposes.

(d) The authority granted to the Department under this section is in addition to any authority granted to the Department under any other provision of law.