Title 2, Natural Resources

Enforcement. Law enforcement officers or authorized employees of the Bureau of Environmental Health under the Department of Public Health shall enforce compliance with this chapter. Source: PL 14-15, § 3 (3805). Commission Comment: PL 14-15 was enacted on June 18, 2004 and contai…

Short Title. Articles one to four of this chapter may be cited as the Commonwealth Historic Preservation Act of 1982. Source: PL 3-39, § 1, modified. Commission Comment: PL 3-39 took effect January 5, 1983. See also 1 CMC §§ 2381 and 2382, concerning the Historic Preservation Off…

Findings. The legislature finds and declares that: (a) The Northern Mariana Islands contains a wealth of historic and cultural properties whose preservation, study and interpretation are vital to the maintenance and development of self-understanding and self-pride on the part of …

Policy. It is declared a policy of the Commonwealth government to promote and preserve historic and cultural properties in the Commonwealth. Source: PL 3-39, § 3.

Review Board: Establishment and Composition. There is hereby established a review board to consist of nine members appointed by the Governor. The provisions of 1 CMC § 2901 do not apply to the composition of the review board. Source: PL 3-39, § 6; amended by PL 10-71, § 1. Commis…

Review Board: Duties. It is the duty of the review board to: (a) Review all requests for permits upon private land and all proposed public land leases or uses in which the areas to be leased or used are determined by the board to contain cultural and historic properties which cou…

Review Board: Tenure, Compensation, Quorum. (a) The appointed members of the review board shall serve for four years; provided, that of the members first appointed, two shall serve for one year, one shall serve for two years, one shall serve for three years, and one shall serve f…

Coordination with Other Agencies; Issuance of Permit. Public lands shall not be disposed of or used for activities that in the opinion of the Historic Preservation Office and the review board, after consultation with Department of Public Lands, might damage cultural and historic …

Costs of Damage. Except in cases where undue hardship would result, it shall be the responsibility of the party whose actions damage the subject cultural or historic property to bear the costs of avoiding, mitigating or satisfactorily reducing the level of damage. Source: PL 3-39…

Prohibited Acts. It is unlawful for any person, partnership, business, corporation or other entity to willfully remove or take any artifact that is of historic or cultural significance to the people of the Commonwealth, or knowingly destroy, remove, disturb, displace, or disfigur…

Penalties. Any person who, individually or acting for any business, corporation or other entity, knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this chapter or any valid rule or regulation promulgated under this chapter shall be fined not more than $10,000 per day or imprisone…

House of Taga Park; Designation as Commonwealth Historic Site. The Secretary of the Department of Public Lands shall designate the House of Taga Park on the island of Tinian as a Commonwealth Historical Site under the administration of the Historic Preservation Office. The park s…

Short Title. This article shall be cited as the Commonwealth Museum Act of 1996. Source: PL 10-5, § 1. Commission Comment: PL 10-5 took effect March 13, 1996. According to PL 10-5, § 2: Section 2. Findings and Purpose. The Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature finds that: (a…

Commonwealth Museum: Established. There is hereby created the Commonwealth Museum of History and Culture, a public corporation, to be headed by an executive director, under the direction of a policy-making Museum Board of Governors. The museum is established to carry out the broa…

Commonwealth Museum: Duties. The museum shall have the following duties: (a) To provide a facility where valuable collections of archaeological, historical, cultural artifacts and related documentation of the people of the Commonwealth can be safely deposited, curated, displayed …

Commonwealth Museum: Powers. To carry out its duties, the museum, through its board, shall have all of the powers conferred by law on a public corporation and all powers reasonably necessary and incidental to the fulfillment of its purposes, including, but not limited to, the pow…

Museum Board of Governors: Establishment and Composition. (a) Board of Governors. A Museum Board of Governors shall govern the Museum. All powers vested in the Museum shall be exercised by the Museum Board of Governors, appointed by the Governor, composed of nine members who shal…

Powers and Duties of the Board. The board shall have the following powers and duties: (a) To govern the operation of the museum in a manner that furthers its purpose; (b) To take action necessary to exercise the powers of the museum conferred by this article; (c) To adhere to ope…

Officers and Staff of the Museum. (a) Executive Director. The board shall appoint an executive director to administer the operations of the museum on behalf of the board. The board may establish the qualifications of the executive director. The executive director’s salary shall b…

Executive Director: Duties. The executive director shall have the following duties: (a) Under the direction of the board, to carry out the intent of this article and the policies of the board; (b) To carry out federal laws and regulations applicable to the operation of a museum i…

Transfer of Public Lands. The Department of Public Lands shall, in accordance with N.M.I. Const. art. XI, § 5(b), transfer to the Commonwealth museum a freehold interest in that certain piece of public land on which the Commonwealth museum is situated, commonly known as “The Old …

Revolving Fund. (a) There is hereby created the Commonwealth Museum Revolving Fund which shall be accounted for separately from the General Fund. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all moneys received from legislative appropriations for the activities and operations …

Audits. The Public Auditor shall audit the operations, books, and records of the museum in accordance with 1 CMC § 7710(a) and 1 CMC § 7811 et seq. The final report of the audit shall be made public and shall be transmitted to the board, the executive director, the Governor, and …

Conflicts of Interest. The conduct of members of the board of governors, officers and employees of the museum shall be governed by the applicable provisions of 1 CMC § 8501 et seq. Source: PL 10-5, § 13.

Civil and Criminal Penalties. A member of the board, officer, counsel, employee, or agent of the museum, or any other person who embezzles, abstracts, or willfully misapplies any money, funds, credits, securities, or other property of the museum, or who willfully makes any false …

Short Title. This Act may be cited as the Rota Cultural Center Designation Act of 2002. Source: PL 13-31, § 1, modified. Commission Comment: PL 13-31, which took effect November 18, 2002, contained the following findings, severability, and savings clause provisions: Section 2. Fi…

Designation of Cultural Center. Notwithstanding any provision of law including PL 10-57, Lot No. 683 R 01, on the island of Rota is hereby preserved and designated as the future site of Rota Cultural Center. Source: PL 13-31, § 3, modified.

Regulations and Enforcement. The Secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources shall promulgate regulations necessary to preserve and maintain Lot No. 683 R 01 as the site for the future Rota Cultural Center including enforcement provisions consistent with this Act. …

Tatachog Beach Park Pavilion Cultural/Arts Center. (a) Designation of Beach Park Pavillion. The Tatachog Beach Park pavilion is hereby designated as a cultural/arts center under the management of the Rota Mayor's Office. (b) Authorization. The Mayor of Rota is authorized to estab…

Captive/Domesticated Sambar Deer (Binado). It is hereby legal in the Commonwealth to capture alive Sambar Deer (Binado) during authorized hunting season as provided by regulation. Source: PL 17-23 § 3 (October 19, 2010), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission changed “autho…

Terms and Condition For Captive Wildlife. Captive wildlife may be retained in the possession of an individual who holds a permit pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth: (a) Location: The location of the registered wildlife should be specified on a map that includes clearl…

General Provisions for Sambar Deer (Binado). (a) A license to maintain captive deer (wild or domesticated from wild animals) is required. Licenses to maintain captive wildlife will be renewed on an annual basis and it is the responsibility of the permit holder to keep the license…

Rules and Regulations. The Secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources may promulgate additional rules and regulations to carry out the purpose and intent of this article. Source: PL 17-23 § 6 (October 19, 2010), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission changed…

Amnesty. Those individuals who are in possession of captive Sambar Deer (Binado) that are unregistered or noncompliance with existing regulation shall comply with the provision of this article without being penalized within 365 days following the approval of this article into law…