§ 49-0505. State geological planning and advisory council.

1. For the purposes of this title, "advisory council" means the state
geological planning and advisory council established pursuant to this
section.

2. There shall be established within the department the state
geological planning and advisory council. The advisory council shall be
composed of ten members as follows:

a. the commissioner, or his or her designee who is an officer or
employee of the department;

b. the commissioner of economic development, or his or her designee
who is an officer or employee of the department of economic development;

c. the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation, or
his or her designee who is an officer or employee of the office of
parks, recreation and historic preservation;

d. the commissioner of transportation, or his or her designee who is
an officer or employee of the department of transportation;

e. two members appointed by the governor, of whom:

(1) one shall have been or is engaged in trail planning and/or
management, and

(2) one shall teach geology or be a geology professional;

f. two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate,
having expertise in the field of ecology, conservation or trail
planning; and

g. two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly, having
expertise in the field of ecology, conservation or trail planning.

3. The members of the advisory council appointed pursuant to
paragraphs e, f and g of subdivision two of this section shall serve
terms of four years. Vacancies in the membership of the advisory council
shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.

4. The commissioner, or his or her designee, shall be the chair of the
advisory council. The advisory council shall meet not less than three
times each calendar year, and more frequently at the call of the chair.

5. The advisory council may establish:

a. criteria for signage on the state geological trail, including means
of providing information about geological features associated with each
particular portion of such trail. Provided, however, that all such
signage shall comply with the New York state manual and specifications
for a uniform system of traffic control devices as such manual and
specifications may be amended from time to time, certified by a licensed
professional engineer who specializes in traffic operations. For the
purposes of this section, the term "New York state manual and
specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices" shall
mean the national manual of uniform traffic control devices promulgated
by the federal highway administration pursuant to subpart (f) of part
655 of title 23 of the code of federal regulations and the New York
state supplement adopted by the commissioner of transportation pursuant
to section sixteen hundred eighty of the vehicle and traffic law; and

b. state geological trail publications, guidelines for interpretive
programs and themes relating to portions of the state geological trail,
and an internet website providing directional information on educational
institutions that have programs relating to the geological and
conservation aspects of the portions of the state geological trail.