10.1-401 - Powers and duties of Director; acquisition of property.
§ 10.1-401. Powers and duties of Director; acquisition of property.
A. The Director shall have the duty to:
1. Identify rivers or sections of rivers, including their shores and naturalenvirons, which should be considered for designation because of their scenic,recreational and historic attributes and natural beauty.
2. Conduct studies of rivers or sections of rivers to be considered fordesignation as wild, scenic or recreational rivers in cooperation withappropriate agencies of the Commonwealth and the United States.
3. Recommend to the Governor and to the General Assembly rivers or sectionsthereof to be considered for designation as scenic rivers.
4. Appoint Scenic River Advisory Committees or other local or regionalcommittees of not less than three members to consider and manage scenic riverinterests and issues. The committees shall assist and advise the Director andthe local governing body with the protection or management of the scenicriver segment in their jurisdiction. The committees may consider and commentto the Director on any federal, state, or local governmental plans toapprove, license, fund, or construct facilities that would alter any of theassets that qualified the river for scenic designation.
B. The Director is authorized to acquire in the name of the Commonwealth,either by gift or purchase, any real property or interest therein which theDirector considers necessary or desirable for the protection of any scenicriver, and may retain title to or transfer the property to other stateagencies. The Director may not exercise the right of eminent domain inacquiring any such property or interest.
(1970, c. 468, §§ 10-167, 10-169, 10-170, 10-175; 1984, c. 739; 1985, c. 346;1988, c. 891; 2003, c. 240.)