Section 39.07. Commission purpose

The  purpose  of  the commission is to
  undertake all necessary actions to facilitate the creation of a  Niagara
  river  greenway.  The  commission  shall  develop  a  plan  and  generic
  environmental impact statement for the creation of the greenway designed
  to enhance waterfront access, complement economic revitalization of  the
  communities along the river, and ensure the long-term maintenance of the
  greenway. The plan shall:
    1.  Recommend  the specific boundaries of the greenway within Erie and
  Niagara counties;
    2. Develop a specific vision for the greenway that focuses on  linking
  parks  and conservation areas, creating a multi-use venue for the people
  of the region, and enhancing the tourism potential of the region;
    3. Include an inventory of existing park and  other  lands  under  the
  jurisdiction  of  state agencies, public corporations and municipalities
  which may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;
    4. Identify such other lands that through acquisition,  dedication  or
  redevelopment may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;
    5.  Identify  existing  plans  and  plans  under  development that can
  contribute to the purposes of the greenway;
    6. Conduct economic analyses of the costs to construct,  maintain  and
  market the greenway as part of a strategy for implementation;
    7. Consider how the region's industrial heritage can be celebrated and
  reflected along the greenway;
    8.  Recommend  how the greenway could be linked to upland and interior
  communities in order to promote linkages to the river;
    9. Consider how existing and proposed economic development  activities
  in proximity to the greenway can support and complement the greenway;
    10. Recommend cooperative efforts with the province of Ontario and the
  nation of Canada in furtherance of the objectives of this article;
    11. Identify local, state, federal and private sources of funding that
  could support the purposes of the greenway;
    12. Evaluate local, state and federal laws and regulations relating to
  the purposes of the greenway;
    13.  Identify  ways  for  the  commission  to  work cooperatively with
  municipal, state and federal agencies, public and private  corporations,
  not-for-profit  organizations, and private property owners and interests
  to advance and complement the purposes of the greenway;
    14. Recommend how portions of the greenway would be managed  including
  a  plan  for  on-going  operation  and  maintenance  that would make the
  greenway self-supporting; and
    15. Include any other information, data and recommendations which  the
  commission determines is necessary to support the purposes of the plan.
    Such  draft  plan  shall  be  submitted  to the commissioner of parks,
  recreation and historic preservation within two years of  the  effective
  date  of this article. The commissioner may approve the plan, may return
  the plan to the commission with recommendations  for  approval,  or  may
  reject  such  plan.  Prior  to  submission  of  the  draft  plan  to the
  commissioner, the commission shall hold at least one public  hearing  on
  the  draft  plan  in  each  county for which the plan is applicable. The
  local legislative  body  of  each  city,  town  or  village  within  the
  boundaries  designated by the draft plan must approve the plan following
  the public hearing or  hearings  and  before  it  is  submitted  to  the
  commissioner.  A  copy  of  the  approved  plan shall be provided to the
  governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker  of  the
  assembly.