Disposition of canals and canal properties prohibited

ARTICLE XV\n Canals\n Section 1. The legislature shall not sell, abandon or otherwise\ndispose of the now existing or future improved barge canal, the\ndivisions of which are the Erie canal, the Oswego canal, the Champlain\ncanal, and the Cayuga and Seneca canals, or of the terminals constructed\nas part of the barge canal system; nor shall it sell, abandon or\notherwise dispose of any portion of the canal system existing prior to\nthe barge canal improvement which portion forms a part of, or functions\nas a part of, the present barge canal system; but such canals and\nterminals shall remain the property of the state and under its\nmanagement and control forever. This prohibition shall not prevent the\nlegislature, by appropriate laws, from authorizing the granting of\nrevocable permits or leases for periods of time as authorized by the\nlegislature for the occupancy or use of such lands or structures.\n