Section 75-5-4 - Administration of the act. - New Mexico Statutes

75-5-4. Administration of the act.

A.     The Natural Lands Protection Act [75-5-1 NMSA 1978] shall be administered by the secretary of natural resources in consultation with a committee consisting of the secretary of natural resources, who shall serve as chairman of the committee, the director of the department of game and fish, the commissioner of public lands, the director of the New Mexico department of agriculture and three public members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall represent the ranching or farming industry.   

B.     The secretary of natural resources shall present a list of projects to the committee based on priorities generated by the natural resources department.   

C.     The committee shall recommend lands to be acquired under the provisions of the Natural Lands Protection Act and, subject to appropriation for such purpose by the legislature, pay the state's share of acquisitions. No land shall be acquired unless a corporation jointly acquires the land with the state. A corporation must participate in acquiring a minimum of at least ten percent undivided interest in the land or the state cannot participate in the acquisition. Title to lands acquired shall be held as cotenants having undivided interests in proportion to the state's and the corporation's share of the acquisition and shall be held in the name of the state of New Mexico and the corporation.   

D.     Priority among projects qualified under the Natural Lands Protection Act shall be determined in descending order as follows:   

(1)     the degree to which the lands in question are subject to the threat of immediate alteration or destruction;   

(2)     the degree to which ecosystems in question are unduplicated elsewhere; and   

(3)     usefulness for teaching and research.