A. The Department shall:

1. Administer the Virginia Scenic Rivers System to preserve and protect its natural beauty and to assure its use and enjoyment for its scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other assets and to encourage the continuance of existing agricultural, horticultural, forestry and open space land and water uses.

2. Periodically survey each scenic river and its immediate environs and monitor all existing and proposed uses of each scenic river and its related land resources.

3. Assist local governments in solving problems associated with the Virginia Scenic Rivers System, in consultation with the Director, the Board, and the advisory committees.

B. The Department shall not exercise the right of eminent domain to acquire any real property or interest therein for the purpose of providing additional access to any scenic river. Nothing in this subsection shall limit or modify any powers granted otherwise to any locality.

C. The Department may seek assistance and advice related to the scenic river program from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the United States Forest Service, other state and federal agencies and instrumentalities, and affected local governing bodies.

D. The Department shall have the following powers, which may be delegated by the Director:

1. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its scenic river duties and the execution of its scenic river powers, including but not limited to contracts with private nonprofit organizations, the United States, other state agencies and political subdivisions of the Commonwealth;

2. To accept bequests and gifts of real and personal property as well as endowments, funds, and grants from the United States government, its agencies and instrumentalities, and any other source. To these ends, the Department shall have the power to comply with such conditions and execute such agreements as may be necessary, convenient, or desirable; and

3. To conduct fund-raising activities as deemed appropriate related to scenic river issues.

1970, c. 468, §§ 10-167, 10-173; 1988, c. 891; 2003, c. 240.