Section 49-0207. State land acquisition plan

1.   The  department  and  the  office  shall  prepare  a  state  land
  acquisition plan to guide selection of projects  for  state  acquisition
  taking  into  account  regional  advisory  committee  priorities and the
  department's and  office's  assessment  of  need  for  land  acquisition
  projects. Such plan shall include an identification of:
    a.  lands,  by region and category, for which acquisition is of a high
  priority in order to carry out the purposes of this title;
    b. lands, by  region,  having  statewide  or  regional  environmental,
  historic, cultural or recreational significance that are threatened with
  diminishment of resource value;
    c.  the department's and office's priorities of categories of land, by
  region, for future acquisition; and
    d. lands, by  region,  having  statewide  or  regional  environmental,
  historic,   cultural   or  recreational  significance  which  should  be
  considered  for  state  acquisition,  but  which  do  not  qualify   for
  acquisition under present law.
    2.  Such  plan  shall  include consideration of the inventory prepared
  pursuant to section 49-0205 of this title and shall identify those areas
  within the state which are not adequately protected in such categories.
    3. In preparing such plan, the department and office shall:
    a. conduct one or more public hearings in  each  of  the  department's
  administrative regions.
    b. consult with:
    (i) the regional advisory committees;
    (ii)  officials of departments and agencies of the state having duties
  and  responsibilities  concerning  the  protection  of  open  space  and
  natural, environmental, historic, cultural or recreational resources;
    (iii) officials and representatives of local governments in the state;
  and
    (iv) persons, organizations and groups interested in the protection of
  open   space   and   natural,   environmental,   historic,  cultural  or
  recreational resources of the state.
    c. request and receive from any department, division,  board,  bureau,
  commission or any other agency of the state or any political subdivision
  thereof  or  any  public  authority  such  assistance and data as may be
  necessary  to  enable  the  department  and  office  to  carry  out  its
  responsibilities under this section.
    4.  The  department  and  office  shall prepare a draft plan and shall
  propose,  no  later  than   January   thirty-first,   nineteen   hundred
  ninety-one, a schedule of public hearings thereon.
    5.  On or before January thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-two and
  every three years thereafter, the department and office shall submit the
  plan to the governor, the majority leader of the senate and the  speaker
  of  the assembly. Upon approval by the governor such plan shall become a
  guide  for  the  implementation  of  the  acquisition  programs  of  the
  department and office.