N.Y. Canal Law § 51: Method of abandonment

§ 51. Method of abandonment. Prior to the exercising of such authority

of abandonment, however, the corporation shall cause a notice of any

proposed abandonment to be transmitted to the commission and to be

published once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper

published in the county wherein such lands are located, except that such

publication shall appear in a newspaper published in the municipality or

locality wherein such lands are located when there is a newspaper

published in such municipality or locality. Such notice shall describe

the lands proposed to be abandoned with sufficient certainty to identify

them and invite interested parties to file written statements either

supporting or opposing the proposed abandonment. Upon the expiration of

the period of publishing said notice, when it is the case that the

assessment for such lands proposed for abandonment is equal to or

greater than fifty thousand dollars, the corporation shall hold a

hearing at which evidence or further information may be submitted. A

record shall be made of all evidence submitted at such hearing. If no

hearing shall appear to the corporation to be warranted or subsequent to

such hearing, should one be held, the corporation may in its discretion

declare such lands abandoned for the purposes of the canal system. The

corporation shall thereupon issue an official order abandoning the lands

for canal purposes together with a map and description of the lands

abandoned and dispose of any portion of canal lands so abandoned. Any

money realized from the sale of such land shall be deposited into the

canal fund.