N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 49-0211: State land acquisition advisory council

§ 49-0211. State land acquisition advisory council.

1. The council shall consist of seven members: the commissioner of

environmental conservation and the commissioner of parks, recreation and

historic preservation, and the following officials or their designees:

the governor, the majority leader of the senate, the speaker of the

assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of

the assembly. The governor shall appoint the chair. Persons serving as a

member of the council pursuant to designation shall serve at the

pleasure of the designating authority, without compensation, but shall

be entitled to receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily

incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to the provisions

of this title.

2. The provisions of section seventy-four of the public officers law

shall be applicable to the members of the council in connection with

their duties under this article. At any time that a member of the

council has or may have a direct or indirect financial interest in or

resulting from the proposed acquisition or decision not to acquire land

or an interest in land, such member shall not participate in any

discussion or deliberation of the council concerning such land or

interest.

3. The advisory council shall:

a. advise and make recommendations to the commissioners regarding

acquisition goals and priorities to ensure a balance of statewide and

regional interests in acquisition;

b. have an opportunity to review and make recommendations regarding

specific parcels proposed by the commissioners for acquisition prior to

the approval by the department or the office of any parcel for

acquisition; and

c. review the annual reporting of the regional advisory committees,

any community preservation project plans developed pursuant to section

six-s of the general municipal law, the department and the office, and

the state land acquisition plan.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of article six of the public

officers law, no records of the advisory council shall be available for

public inspection. Notwithstanding the provisions of article seven of

the public officers law, no meeting or proceeding of the advisory

council shall be open to the public. All proceedings of the advisory

council shall be confidential. Members of the advisory council may

participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar

communications equipment and may exchange information by mail.

5. In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this article, the

council shall take into account the regional and state land acquisition

priorities and policies.