§ 39.07 Commission purpose. The purpose of the commission is to
undertake all necessary actions to facilitate the creation of a Niagara
river greenway. The commission shall develop a plan and generic
environmental impact statement for the creation of the greenway designed
to enhance waterfront access, complement economic revitalization of the
communities along the river, and ensure the long-term maintenance of the
greenway. The plan shall:

1. Recommend the specific boundaries of the greenway within Erie and
Niagara counties;

2. Develop a specific vision for the greenway that focuses on linking
parks and conservation areas, creating a multi-use venue for the people
of the region, and enhancing the tourism potential of the region;

3. Include an inventory of existing park and other lands under the
jurisdiction of state agencies, public corporations and municipalities
which may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;

4. Identify such other lands that through acquisition, dedication or
redevelopment may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;

5. Identify existing plans and plans under development that can
contribute to the purposes of the greenway;

6. Conduct economic analyses of the costs to construct, maintain and
market the greenway as part of a strategy for implementation;

7. Consider how the region's industrial heritage can be celebrated and
reflected along the greenway;

8. Recommend how the greenway could be linked to upland and interior
communities in order to promote linkages to the river;

9. Consider how existing and proposed economic development activities
in proximity to the greenway can support and complement the greenway;

10. Recommend cooperative efforts with the province of Ontario and the
nation of Canada in furtherance of the objectives of this article;

11. Identify local, state, federal and private sources of funding that
could support the purposes of the greenway;

12. Evaluate local, state and federal laws and regulations relating to
the purposes of the greenway;

13. Identify ways for the commission to work cooperatively with
municipal, state and federal agencies, public and private corporations,
not-for-profit organizations, and private property owners and interests
to advance and complement the purposes of the greenway;

14. Recommend how portions of the greenway would be managed including
a plan for on-going operation and maintenance that would make the
greenway self-supporting; and

15. Include any other information, data and recommendations which the
commission determines is necessary to support the purposes of the plan.

Such draft plan shall be submitted to the commissioner of parks,
recreation and historic preservation within two years of the effective
date of this article. The commissioner may approve the plan, may return
the plan to the commission with recommendations for approval, or may
reject such plan. Prior to submission of the draft plan to the
commissioner, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing on
the draft plan in each county for which the plan is applicable. The
local legislative body of each city, town or village within the
boundaries designated by the draft plan must approve the plan following
the public hearing or hearings and before it is submitted to the
commissioner. A copy of the approved plan shall be provided to the
governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the
assembly.