NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1971 SESSION
CHAPTER 1191
SENATE BILL 851
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NORTH CAROLINA MARINE SCIENCE COUNCIL.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. There is hereby created and established in the Department of Administration a Council to be known as the North Carolina Marine Science Council.
Sec. 2. The North Carolina Marine Science Council shall consist of a Chairman and 20 members appointed by the Governor from the public and private academic and scientific institutions in the State and from the various industries and professions in the State concerned with the exploration and use of the sea. The Chairman shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor, and each of the other members shall serve for six-year terms or until their successors are appointed and qualified; Provided, however, that four of the first 20 members of the Commission shall be appointed for four-year terms and four for two-year terms. In addition, the State Planning Officer, the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Development, the State Health Officer, the State Property Officer, the Director of the State Department of Water and Air Resources, and the Director of the State Ports Authority, or their designees shall be ex officio members of the Council. The Chairman and members of the Council shall serve without compensation for their services but shall be entitled to reimbursement for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties to the same extent as allowed other State officers.
Sec. 3. The Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure and shall meet at such times and in such place as it may deem necessary to carry out its functions. The Council is authorized to secure directly from any executive department, agency, or independent instrumentality of the State government any information it deems necessary to carry out its functions. Each department, agency, and independent instrumentality is authorized to cooperate with the Council, and, to the extent permitted by law, to furnish such information to the Council, upon request made by the Chairman.
Sec. 4. The Council shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) To encourage the use and study of the ocean, estuarine, and coastal waters of the State of North Carolina by the citizens and industries of the State;
(2) To foster education and training in ocean science and technology in the State of North Carolina, including extension and continuing education;
(3) To maintain liaison with corresponding authorities of nearby coastal states;
(4) To develop and maintain a continuing inventory of the ocean resources of the State of North Carolina and the industries and institutions that have significant competence in the science and industry of the oceans, including their personnel and facilities;
(5) To coordinate efforts toward full development of the State's marine resources with proper attention being given to the need for conservation;
(6) To coordinate plans for, and work with relevant governmental agencies in, the implementation of all federal, state, and local legislation relating to coastal and marine resources;
(7) To review all research, education, and management programs relating to coastal and marine resources and to recommend revision when appropriate;
(8) To report annually on the last day of June to the Governor on all its activities undertaken in connection with the duties and responsibilities assigned in this section, together with any recommendations for new legislation designed to accomplish the purposes of this act.
Sec. 5. The Director of the North Carolina Department of Administration shall furnish such staff and financial support to the Council as may be necessary to carry out its functions from funds appropriated or available for these purposes.
Sec. 6. This act shall become effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 21st day of July, 1971.