AN ACT to authorize the addition of the East Coast Greenway in Central and eastern North carolina to the State parks system.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The General Assembly finds that a multiuse trail across Central and Eastern North Carolina would provide a multitude of economic, recreational, health, environmental, community, and transportation benefits. The General Assembly further finds that federal, State, local, and private partners have expressed substantial interest in completing such a trail; that such a trail would be a recreational resource of statewide significance; and that including such a trail in the State Parks System as a State trail would be beneficial to the people of North Carolina and further the development of North Carolina as The Great Trails State.

SECTION 2.  The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the portion of the East Coast Greenway traversing North Carolina to the State Parks System as the East Coast Greenway State Trail, as provided in G.S. 143B‑135.54(b). The Department shall support, promote, encourage, and facilitate the establishment of trail segments on State park lands and on lands of other federal, State, local, and private landowners. On segments of the East Coast Greenway that cross property controlled by agencies or owners other than the Department's Division of Parks and Recreation, the laws, rules, and policies of those agencies or owners shall govern the use of the property. The requirement of G.S. 143B‑135.54(b) that additions be accompanied by adequate appropriations for land acquisition, development, and operations shall not apply to the authorization set forth in this act; provided, however, that the State may receive donations of appropriate land and may purchase other needed lands for the East Coast Greenway with existing funds in the Land and Water Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, and other available sources of funding.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.