§ 24-0901 — Cooperative agreements

§ 24-0901. Cooperative agreements.\n 1. The commissioner shall confer with local government officials in\neach region to establish a program for the protection of the freshwater\nwetlands of the state.\n 2. The commissioner may enter into cooperative agreements with any\ncity, village, town or county, or with an owner of freshwater wetlands\nor with any one or more of them, for the purpose of preserving and\nmaintaining, in accordance with the policies of this article, those\nfreshwater wetlands which are within the boundaries of such city,\nvillage, town or county.\n 3. The cooperative agreement shall provide that the freshwater\nwetlands be preserved and maintained in their natural state and may\nprovide for access thereto to be retained by such owner for purposes\ncompatible with the purposes of this article.\n 4. A cooperative agreement with any such village, town, city or county\nmay provide for the development by personnel and facilities of the\ndepartment or the payment out of funds appropriated therefor, for the\npurpose of preserving, maintaining, or enhancing such wetlands in\naccordance with the policies of this article, and for the furnishing of\nsuch personnel, facilities or funds as may be agreed upon by the parties\nto the cooperative agreement.\n 5. This section shall not prevent any freshwater wetland from being\ndesignated as part of the natural and historic preserves of the state,\nnor shall it prevent preservation of such lands by dedication as state\nparks. The office of parks and recreation shall outline to the\ncommissioner its plans to preserve freshwater wetlands as parks and\nreserves as soon as possible after the effective date of this article.\n