Authority: Title 10.1, Chapters 1, 2, 2.1, 3, 4, 4.1, and 17, Code of Virginia.
A.1. Out of the amount for Financial Assistance for Recreational Development shall be paid the Commonwealth's matching share of support for the operation and maintenance of Breaks Interstate Park, not to exceed $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund.
2. The Breaks Interstate Park Commission shall provide quarterly financial reports detailing all revenues and expenditures to the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Commission shall also submit an annual audit of a fiscal and compliance nature of its accounts and transactions to the Auditor of Public Accounts.
3. Out of the amount for Financial Assistance for Recreational Development shall be paid $625,000 the first year from the general fund to continue capital improvements at the Breaks Interstate Park. This appropriation is contingent upon matching funds provided by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
B. Net revenues generated from forest product sales on public park, recreational, and conservation lands owned or managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall be deposited in the Conservation Resources Fund (§ 10.1-202, Code of Virginia). From the total revenues collected by the Department, the Department shall reimburse the Department of Forestry or other sources of forestry expertise for their expenses related to the management, harvesting, and reforestation of the Departmental lands.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 10.1-202, Code of Virginia, the amount for State Park Conservation; Operations, Preservation and Management include $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the second year from special fund revenues from park operations for a program of in-state travel advertising. Such travel advertising shall feature Virginia State Parks and the localities or regions in which the parks are located. To the extent possible the Department shall enter into cooperative advertising agreements with the Virginia Tourism Authority and local entities to maximize the effectiveness of expenditures for advertising. The Department is further authorized to enter into a cooperative advertising agreement with the Virginia Association of Broadcasters.
D. All revenue from private concession operations shall be deposited to the Conservation Resources Fund. All revenues from state-operated concession operations shall be deposited into the State-Operated Concession Fund.
E. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 10.1-202, Code of Virginia, amounts deposited to the Conservation Resources Fund may be used to extend the operating season of various state parks and to provide for an in-house reservation system for the state park system.
F. The Department of Conservation and Recreation, in cooperation with the Department of Corrections, shall, to the extent possible, use inmate labor for routine work projects in state parks and natural areas.
G. Out of the amount for State Park Conservation; Operations, Preservation and Maintenance is $110,117 the first year and $110,117 the second year from the general fund for lease payments through the Master Equipment Lease Program for vehicles and maintenance equipment.
H.1. Included in the amount for Preservation of Open-Space Lands is $600,000 the first year and $400,000 the second year from the general fund for the operating expenses of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.
2. Included in the amount for Preservation of Open-Space Lands is $114,850 the first year and $114,850 the second year from the general fund for the Virginia Outdoors Foundation to restore Aldie Mill.
I. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 10.1-202, Code of Virginia, the Department of Conservation and Recreation will pay from the Conservation Resources Fund $220,000 the first year and $220,000 the second year for debt service payments resulting from the purchase of Kiptopeke State Park authorized by Chapter 878 of the 1992 Acts of Assembly.
J.1. Out of the amount for Preservation of Open-Space Lands $3,400,000 the first year from the general fund shall be transferred to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund (§ 10.1-1020, Code of Virginia). From this deposit, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation shall make grants to private nonprofit organizations as a match for federal Land and Water Conservation Fund monies for acquisitions at four threatened Civil War battlefields. From the deposit to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, $2,100,000 is for acquisitions at the Brandy Station battlefield, $250,000 is for acquisitions at the Cedar Creek battlefield, $350,000 is for acquisitions at the Kernstown battlefield, and $700,000 is for acquisitions at the Third Winchester (Opequon) battlefield. The Department of Historic Resources shall work in conjunction with the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and private nonprofit organizations in securing the acquisition of the battlefields.
2. This Item includes $6,200,000 the first year and $6,200,000 the second year from the general fund to carry out the purposes of Chapter 900, Acts of Assembly of 1999. These funds shall be deposited in the Virginia Land Conservation Fund pursuant to § 10.1-1020, Code of Virginia. The appropriation reduction in this paragraph pursuant to Executive Order 74(01) is reflected in Item 543.05 of this act.
3. The Chairman of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation shall provide a report by December 15 of each year to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, including, but not limited to, implementation of the Foundation's strategic plan; projects under consideration for funding; and expenditures from, interest earned by, and financial obligations of the Virginia Land Conservation Fund.
K. Out of the amounts for Leisure and Recreation Services, $75,000 the first year from the general fund shall be paid to the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission for continuing design and construction of a greenway along the Roanoke River.
L. Pursuant to SJR 194 (2000), the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a Trevilian Station Battlefield State Park in Louisa County. The Department shall consult with the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation in conducting this study. The results of this study shall be reported to the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Finance and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committees on Appropriations and Conservation and Natural Resources by November 1, 2000.
M. The Department of Conservation and Recreation shall provide staff to assist the City of Danville in analyzing the operations and facilities of Dan Daniel Memorial Park to provide recommendations as to how the Park could better serve the citizens of that region.
N. Included in the amount for Financial Assistance for Recreational Development is $15,000 the first year from the general fund for the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory.
O. This Item includes $100,000 the first year from the general fund for the Department to contract for an environmental impact statement assessment on a proposed Horse Trail.
P. Included in the amount for Acquisition, Design and Construction of Outdoor Recreation Facilities is $122,148 the first year from the general fund for the George Washington's Grist Mill project.
Q. The Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation is authorized to accept on behalf of the Commonwealth a gift from the Nature Conservancy of property adjacent to the James River State Park.