Chapter 143B

In order to carry out the purposes of this Part, the Council and the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources are authorized to acquire by gift or will, absolutely or in trust, from individuals, corporations, or any other source money or other property, or any interests in pro…

All gifts made to the North Carolina Zoological Park for the purposes of this Part shall be exempt from every form of taxation including, but not by the way of limitation, ad valorem, intangible, gift, inheritance and income taxation. Proceeds from the sale of any property acquir…

Cities and counties are hereby authorized to expend funds derived from nontax sources and to make gifts of surplus property, to assist in carrying out the purposes of this Part. (1969, c. 1104, s. 10; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(j), (q).)

(a) It is the intent of this Part that the funds for the creation, establishment, construction, operation and maintenance of the North Carolina Zoological Park shall be obtained primarily from private sources; however, the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources is hereby aut…

(a) The exception for the North Carolina Zoological Park set forth in G.S. 143-341(3) shall apply only to projects requiring the estimated expenditure of public money of two million dollars ($2,000,000) or less. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources shall, with respect…

There is created an Advisory Commission for the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences which shall determine its own organization. It shall consist of at least nine members, which shall include the Director of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences, the Comm…

It shall be the duty of the Advisory Commission for the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences to meet at least twice each year, to formulate policies for the advancement of the Museum, to make recommendations to the Governor and to the General Assembly concerning the Mu…

Members of the Advisory Commission shall serve without compensation and shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred while in attendance at meetings of the Commission at the same rate as that established for reimbursement of State employees. Payment for such reimbursement for…

The Department is hereby authorized and empowered to accept gifts, donations or contributions of land suitable for park purposes and to enter into agreements with the federal government or other agencies for acquiring by lease, purchase or otherwise such lands as in the judgment …

The Commission shall prepare and submit a report outlining the needs of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences and recommendations for improvement of the effectiveness of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee…

Notwithstanding Article 3A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, G.S. 143-49(4), or any other law pertaining to surplus State property, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources may sell, lease, donate, or trade any object from the collection of the Museum of Natural Sci…

(a) Fund. - The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Fund is created as a special fund. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Fund shall be used for repair, renovation, expansion, maintenance, and educational exhibit construction at the North Carolina Museum of Natur…

(a) Grant Program. - The North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences (hereinafter "Museum of Natural Sciences") shall administer the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program as a competitive grant program. Any museum in the State may apply for a grant under the Program, b…

(a) The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources shall establish and administer the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville in Columbus County as a satellite museum of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences. (b) The Department of Natural and Cultu…

(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to support and accelerate the State's programs of land conservation and protection and farmland and open space preservation and coordination to find means to assure and increase funding for these programs, to support the long-term mana…

The following definitions apply in this Part: (1) Repealed by Session Laws 2019-32, s. 1(a), effective July 1, 2019. (2) Fund. - The North Carolina Land and Water Fund created pursuant to this Part. (3) Land. - Real property and any interest in, easement in, or restriction on rea…

(a) Fund Established. - The North Carolina Land and Water Fund is established as a special revenue fund to be administered by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The North Carolina Land and Water Fund shall also be known by its original name, the Clean Water Managem…

(a) The North Carolina Conservation Easement Endowment Fund is established as a special fund in the Office of the State Treasurer. The principal of the Endowment Fund shall consist of a portion of grant funds transferred by the Trustees to the Endowment Fund from the North Caroli…

(a) Eligible Applicants. - Any of the following are eligible to apply for a grant from the Fund for the purpose of protecting and enhancing water quality: (1) A State agency. (2) A local government unit. (3) A nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is the conservation, prese…

When lands are acquired or leased under G.S. 143B-135.22, the Department is hereby authorized to make expenditures from any funds not otherwise obligated, for the management, development and utilization of such areas; to sell or otherwise dispose of products from such lands, and …

(a) Board of Trustees Established. - There is established the North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees. The North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees shall be administratively located within the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. (b) Membership. …

(a) Allocate Grant Funds. - The Trustees shall allocate moneys from the Fund as grants. A grant may be awarded only for a project or activity that satisfies the criteria and furthers the purposes of this Part. (b) Develop Grant Criteria. - The Trustees shall develop criteria for …

The Chair of the Board of Trustees shall report no later than December 1 each year to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources, the Environmental Review Commission, the Subcommittees of the House of Representatives and Senate App…

The Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources shall select and appoint a competent person in accordance with this section as Executive Director of the North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees. The Executive Director shall be charged with the supervision of all activ…

This Part shall be known as the Nature Preserves Act. (1985, c. 216, s. 1; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(k2), (r2).)

(a) The continued population growth and land development in North Carolina have made it necessary and desirable that areas of natural significance be identified and preserved before they are destroyed. These natural areas are irreplaceable as laboratories for scientific research,…

As used in this Part, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) "Articles of dedication" means the writing by which any estate, interest, or right in a natural area is formally dedicated as a nature preserve as authorized in G.S. 143B-135.260. (2) "Dedicate" means to transfer to…

The Secretary shall: (1) Establish by rule the criteria for selection, registration, and dedication of natural areas and nature preserves. (2) Cooperate or contract with any federal, State, or local government agency, private conservation organization, or person in carrying out t…

(a) The Secretary shall maintain a State Registry of voluntarily protected natural areas to be called the North Carolina Registry of Natural Heritage Areas. Registration of natural areas shall be accomplished through voluntary agreement between the owner of the natural area and t…

All revenues derived from lands now owned or later acquired under the provisions of G.S. 143B-135.22 to 143B-135.30 shall be set aside for the use of the Department in acquisition, management, development and use of such lands until all obligations incurred have been paid in full…

(a) The State may accept the dedication of nature preserves on lands deemed by the Secretary to qualify as outstanding natural areas. Nature preserves may be dedicated by voluntary act of the owner. The owner of a qualified natural area may transfer fee simple title or other inte…

Lands dedicated for nature preserves pursuant to this Part are held in trust by the State for those uses and purposes expressed in this Part for the benefit of the people of North Carolina. These lands shall be managed and protected according to regulations adopted by the Secreta…

Subject to the approval of the Governor and Council of State, state-owned lands may be dedicated as a nature preserve. State-owned lands shall be dedicated by allocation pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 143-341(4)g. Lands dedicated pursuant to this section may be removed from d…

All local units of government may dedicate lands as nature preserves by transfer of fee simple title or other interest in land to the State. (1985, c. 216, s. 1; 2015-241, s. 14.30(k2).)

All acquisitions or dispositions of an interest in land by the State pursuant to this Part shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 146 of the General Statutes. (1985, c. 216, s. 1; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(k2), (r2).)

For purposes of taxation, privately owned land subject to a nature preserve dedication agreement shall be assessed on the basis of the true value of the land less any reduction in value caused by the agreement. (1985, c. 216, s. 1; 2015-241, s. 14.30(k2).)

(a) The Secretary may establish fees to defray the costs associated with any of the following: (1) Responding to inquiries requiring customized environmental review services or the costs associated with developing, improving, or maintaining technology that supports an online inte…

All duties and responsibilities related to stewardship and oversight of properties and interests for which tax credits were granted under the Conservation Tax Credit program for tax years beginning before January 1, 2014, and previously given to the Department of Environmental Qu…

Information concerning the nature and location of any (i) rare species of plants or animals or (ii) sensitive natural habitats may be made available to the public under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes or under any other provision of law, regardless of whether the rare species…

Obligations for the acquisition of land incurred by the Department under the authority of G.S. 143B-135.22 to 143B-135.30 shall be paid solely and exclusively from revenues derived from such lands and shall not impose any liability upon the general credit and taxing power of the …

The Department shall have full power and authority to sell, exchange or lease lands under its jurisdiction when in its judgment it is advantageous to the State to do so in the highest orderly development and management of State parks: Provided, however, said sale, lease or exchan…

This Part shall be known as the State Parks Act. (1987, c. 243, s. 1; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(e), (l).)

(a) The State of North Carolina offers unique archaeologic, geologic, biological, scenic, and recreational resources. These resources are part of the heritage of the people of this State. The heritage of a people should be preserved and managed by the people for their use and for…

The Department shall have responsibility for: (1) the control and management of Mount Mitchell Park and of any other parks which have been or may be acquired by the State as part of the North Carolina State Parks System and (2) the planning and coordination of State trails, which…

As used in this Part, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) "Department" means the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. (2) "Park" means any tract of land or body of water comprising part of the State Parks System under this Part, including existing State parks, Sta…

The Secretary shall implement the provisions of this Part and shall be responsible for the administration of the State Parks System. (1987, c. 243, s. 1; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(e), (l).)

(a) The Secretary shall prepare and adopt a State Parks System Plan by December 31, 1988. The Plan, at a minimum, shall do all of the following: (1) Outline a method whereby the mission and purposes of the State Parks System as defined in G.S. 143B-135.42 can be achieved in a rea…

(a) Creation and Duties. - There is created the American Indian Heritage Commission in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Commission shall advise and assist the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of Am…

After adopting the Plan, the Secretary shall identify and classify the major resources of each of the parks in the State Parks System, in order to establish the major purpose or purposes of each of the parks, consistent with the Plan and the purposes of this Part. (1987, c. 243, …

Every park classified pursuant to G.S. 143B-135.50 shall have a general management plan. The plan shall include a statement of purpose for the park based upon its relationship to the System Plan and its classification. An analysis of the major resources and facilities on hand to …