Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources - Powers and duties as to state parks, etc., generally.

The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources, acting through the Division of Parks, shall have the following powers and authorities:

(1) To acquire in the name of the State of Alabama by purchase, lease, agreement, license, condemnation or otherwise land deemed necessary or desirable to be preserved, improved, protected and maintained as a part of the state park system and to accept in his discretion, in fee or otherwise, land donated, entrusted, conveyed or devised to the state for like purposes and with like discretion to accept gifts, contributions or bequests of money or other personal property of value to be used or expended for the benefit of the state park system;

(2) To contract and make cooperative agreements with the federal government and with states, counties, municipalities, corporations, associations or individuals for the purpose of acquiring, planning, establishing, developing, utilizing, operating, protecting or maintaining any public park, parkway, monument or historic site;

(3) To construct and operate suitable public service privileges and conveniences on any land embraced within the state park system and to charge and collect reasonable fees for the use of the same and in his discretion to enter into contracts for the operation of any such privilege or convenience and to enter into contracts with any person or corporation engaged in the business of supplying the public with water for commercial, industrial or domestic consumption, granting the right to construct a dam across any stream lying wholly or partially in any state park with the buildings, works and lines necessary and convenient to impound the flow of any such stream, to overflow such lands as may be necessary and to conduct such flow through and out of such park and granting such person or corporation the right to use the flow of such stream for such purposes upon such terms and conditions as are deemed to be in the public interest. All money derived from any such privilege, convenience or contract together with such sums as may otherwise be derived from the operation of the state park system shall be paid into the Treasury to the credit of the State Park Fund created in this title;

(4) To establish and promulgate and from time to time alter, amend or repeal rules and regulations governing the preservation, protection and use of the state park system and the property thereon and to preserve the peace therein. Any person who violates any rule or regulation so established and promulgated shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, and may be adjudged to pay all costs of the proceedings. The Director of the Division of Parks shall have and he is hereby vested with full police power to prefer charges against and to make arrests of any person or persons violating any such rule or regulation. The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources shall have full authority to designate any other employee or employees of the said Division of Parks as deputy police officers, who shall have full authority to prefer charges against or to make arrests of any person or persons violating any rule or regulation established or promulgated by the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources;

(5) To initiate and conduct a public program of recreational activities; and

(6) To prepare, print and distribute printed matter relating to and descriptive of the state park system.

(Acts 1939, No. 556, p. 877, §3; Code 1940, T. 8, §176.)