Title 14, NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

Sec. 0.3. On May 13, 2005, the powers of the department to establish fees are transferred to the commission. After May 13, 2005, the commission may exercise any power delegated to the department to establish fees, and a rule of the department that establishes a fee for any of the…

Sec. 1. (a) The commission may do the following: (1) Take the action that is necessary to enable the state to participate in the programs set forth in 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq. (2) Promulgate and maintain a state register of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects signif…

Sec. 2.5. (a) A person who is the party in a hearing under this title or IC 4-15-10.5 may move to have the administrative law judge appointed under IC 4-15-10.5 consolidate multiple proceedings that are subject to the jurisdiction of the office of administrative law proceedings. …

Sec. 4. (a) The commission shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to carry out the commission's duties under this title. (b) The commission may adopt rules to exempt an activity from licensing under this title, except: (1) IC 14-34; (2) IC 14-36-1; and (3) IC 14-38-2; if the activity …

Sec. 5. (a) The department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to carry out the duties of the department under the following: (1) IC 14-9. (2) This article. (3) IC 14-11. (4) IC 14-12-2. (5) IC 14-14. (6) IC 14-15. (7) IC 14-17-3. (8) IC 14-18, except IC 14-18-6 and IC 14-18-8. (9) I…

Sec. 6. (a) The commission may issue a notice of violation to a person who violates a law administered by the department for which a misdemeanor or an infraction penalty is established. If the person: (1) receives the notice; and (2) fails to abate the violation within a period o…

Sec. 7. Any rule: (1) adopted by the director of the department of natural resources under IC 14-2 (before its repeal); and (2) in effect on June 30, 1990; shall be treated after June 30, 1990, as a rule adopted by the natural resources commission. As added by P.L.220-2011, SEC.2…

Sec. 8. A determination of the commission is subject to administrative adjudication under IC 4-21.5. As added by P.L.92-2025, SEC.19.

Sec. 9. (a) A person who wishes to obtain judicial review of a final agency action under this title must serve copies of a petition for judicial review upon: (1) each person described in IC 4-21.5-5-8; and (2) the following persons under IC 4-21.5-5-8(a)(4): (A) If the department…

Sec. 1. (a) The department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 for the following: (1) Department meetings. (2) Upon the recommendation of the director, the work of the department and the divisions. (b) The department may not adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 for the establishment of fees f…

Sec. 2. A person who violates a rule adopted under this chapter commits a Class C infraction, unless otherwise specified by law. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-2-3 part.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.4. Amended by P.L.123-2026, SEC.19.

Sec. 4. A determination of the department is subject to administrative adjudication under IC 4-21.5. As added by P.L.92-2025, SEC.21.

Sec. 1. (a) The purpose of the President Benjamin Harrison conservation trust program and this chapter is to ensure that Indiana's rich natural heritage is preserved or enhanced for succeeding generations by acquiring real property or an interest in real property that: (1) is an …

Sec. 14. (a) The President Benjamin Harrison conservation trust project commission is established. (b) The project commission consists of the following twenty (20) members: (1) The director of the division of fish and wildlife. (2) The director of the division of forestry. (3) Th…

Sec. 15. (a) As used in this section, "appointing authority" refers to: (1) the governor in the case of a member appointed under section 14(b)(7) of this chapter; or (2) the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house of representatives, the presiden…

Sec. 16. The governor shall appoint the chair and vice chair of the project commission from among the members of the commission. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-18.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.172-2016, SEC.18; P.L.42-2024, SEC.108.

Sec. 17. (a) The project commission shall meet at least quarterly and at the call of the chair. (b) The project commission may convene a meeting at any location in Indiana. (c) The project commission shall plan and conduct meetings in a manner that promotes broad public participa…

Sec. 18. (a) Eight (8) members of the project commission constitute a quorum. (b) The affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members of the project commission present and voting is necessary for the project commission to take any action. (c) A member of the project commissi…

Sec. 19. The purpose of the project commission is to do the following: (1) Provide technical review of proposed projects under this chapter. (2) Determine whether a proposed project under this chapter should be approved. (3) Develop and periodically review guidelines for the revi…

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the President Benjamin Harrison conservation trust fund established by section 25 of this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-5.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.172-2016, SEC.6.

Sec. 20. (a) As used in this section, "member" refers to a member of the project commission. (b) Each member who is not a state employee is entitled to the minimum salary per diem provided by IC 4-10-11-2.1(b). The member is also entitled to reimbursement for mileage, traveling e…

Sec. 21. (a) The following procedure must be followed before money from the fund may be used to acquire property for a project under this chapter: (1) The project commission must review and approve a project requiring the acquisition of the property. (2) The project commission mu…

Sec. 22. Property acquired by the state under this chapter may be managed by any of the following: (1) The department. (2) A person with whom the department enters into a management agreement under rules adopted under section 34 of this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation:…

Sec. 23. Eminent domain may not be used to acquire property under this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-25.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5.

Sec. 24. The project commission shall, with the assistance of the department, adopt and make available to the public a strategic plan to implement the purposes of this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-26.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.172-2016,…

Sec. 25. (a) The President Benjamin Harrison conservation trust fund is established for the purpose of purchasing property as provided in this chapter. (b) The fund consists of the following: (1) Appropriations made by the general assembly. (2) Interest as provided in subsection …

Sec. 26. (a) The following accounts are established within the fund: (1) The state parks account. Money in this account may be used only to purchase property for state park, historic site, or archeological site purposes. (2) The state forests account. Money in this account may be…

Sec. 27. Nine percent (9%) of the money appropriated to the fund must be allotted to the stewardship account established by section 26(a)(6) of this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-29.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.172-2016, SEC.26.

Sec. 28. After the allotment required under section 27 of this chapter has been made, the following allotments shall be made: (1) Ten percent (10%) of the balance shall be allotted to each account listed in section 26(a)(1) through 26(a)(5) of this chapter. (2) Fifty percent (50%…

Sec. 29. The balance in an account listed in section 26 of this chapter on June 30 of a year does not revert to the fund on the following July 1. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-31.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5.

Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "person" means an individual, a partnership, an association, a limited liability company, a corporation, an estate, a trust, or a governmental entity. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-7.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5.

Sec. 30. (a) Money in the accounts of the fund, other than the stewardship account, may be used for the following: (1) Acquisition costs, such as costs of surveying, title insurance, and other activities associated with the transfer of title to property. (2) Costs of services and…

Sec. 31.5. (a) Money from the discretionary account may not be used to acquire property for an approved project unless the approved project receives endorsement and participation from: (1) a department division associated with the accounts listed in section 26(a)(1) through 26(a)…

Sec. 32. Expenditures from the fund shall be coordinated with expenditures by the foundation from the Indiana natural resources fund established by IC 14-12-1-11. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-34.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5.

Sec. 33. Before October 1 of each year, the project commission shall prepare a report concerning the program established by this chapter for the public and the general assembly. A report prepared for the general assembly must be in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6. [Pre-1995 …

Sec. 34. The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-36.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5.

Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "project" means an undertaking that: (1) furthers the purposes of this chapter; (2) involves the acquisition of property for new and existing state and local parks, state historic or archeological sites, state forests, state and local nature prese…

Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "project commission" refers to the President Benjamin Harrison conservation trust project commission established by this chapter. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-9.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.172-2016, SEC.8; P.L.42-…

Sec. 6. As used in this chapter, "property" means an interest in real property. The term includes the following: (1) Ownership in fee simple. (2) Conservation easements. (3) Leaseholds. (4) Management rights. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-3-20-10.] As added by P.L.1-1995,…

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "Burns Waterway" means the dredged channel in Porter County, Indiana, that connects the east and west arms of the Little Calumet River with Lake Michigan. [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 14-6-29.5-2(a) part.] As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.6.

Sec. 10. (a) The commission shall meet: (1) at least four (4) times per calendar year; and (2) on call of any of the following: (A) The chairman. (B) The executive director. (C) Any number of members that constitutes a quorum under subsection (b). (b) The following number of memb…

Sec. 11. (a) Each commission member is entitled to reimbursement for traveling and other expenses as provided in the state travel policies and procedures established by the Indiana department of administration and approved by the budget agency. (b) Each appointed commission membe…

Sec. 12. (a) The commission may acquire, by purchase or by lease: (1) any land, property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and other interests in real property, including land under water and riparian rights; and (2) any existing facilities, betterments, and improvem…

Sec. 13. The commission may acquire by appropriation under Indiana eminent domain law: (1) any land, property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, or other interests in real property, including land under water and riparian rights; or (2) any existing facilities, better…

Sec. 14. Each: (1) county, city, town, township, and other political subdivision of the state; and (2) public agency, department, and commission; may, upon the terms and conditions that the proper authorities of the entity and the commission consider reasonable and appropriate, l…

Sec. 15. (a) In establishing and developing projects, the commission may: (1) construct, reconstruct, establish, build, repair, remodel, enlarge, extend, or add to facilities, betterments, and improvements; and (2) clear and prepare any site for construction; that the commission …