PRINTER'S NO. 2266
No. 1582 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY CORMAN, OCTOBER 31, 2000
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, OCTOBER 31, 2000
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
2 act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
3 Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
4 of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
5 Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
6 as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
7 role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
8 Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
9 of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
10 Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
11 Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts,"
12 further providing for leases of State forest land.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Section 302(b)(1) of the act of June 28, 1995
16 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources
17 Act, is amended to read:
18 Section 302. Forests.
19 * * *
20 (b) Utilization and protection.--The department has the
21 following powers and duties with respect to the utilization and
22 protection of State forest lands:
1 (1) To lease for a period not exceeding ten years, on
2 terms and conditions as it may consider reasonable, to any
3 person, corporation, association, church organization or
4 school board of this Commonwealth, such portion of any State
5 forest, whether owned or leased by the Commonwealth, as the
6 department may consider suitable, as a site for buildings and
7 facilities to be used by such person, corporation,
8 association, church organization or school board for health
9 and recreation, or as a site for a church or school purposes.
10 However, the department may, with the approval of the
11 Governor, if a substantial capital investment is involved and
12 if it is deemed in the best interests of this Commonwealth,
13 enter into such leases for a period not to exceed 35 years.
14 The department shall not terminate the lease of a person
15 whose cabin has been destroyed or seriously damaged by fire,
16 storm, flood or other natural causes and shall permit the
17 rebuilding of such cabin. The department shall permit persons
18 holding leases to renovate or make additions to existing
19 cabins with the approval of the department. The department
20 shall charge an annual fee of $150 for the lease of the State
21 forest land for cabins or similar structures used for health
22 or recreation. The department may charge fees for other
23 leases other than for cabins or similar structures under this
24 subsection in any amount it may consider reasonable.
25 * * *
26 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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