Source: https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_70.html
Timestamp: 2019-02-20 02:11:25
Document Index: 471707935

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70', '§ 70']

§ 70-10. Short title.
This Article shall be known as "The Archaeological Resources Protection Act." (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-11. Findings and purpose.
(1) Archaeological resources on State lands are an accessible and irreplaceable part of the State's heritage;
(3) Existing State laws do not provide adequate protection to prevent the loss and destruction of these archaeological resources and sites resulting from uncontrolled excavations and pillage; and
(b) The purpose of this Article is to secure, for the present and future benefit of the people of North Carolina, the protection of archaeological resources and sites which are on State lands, excluding highway right-of-ways, and to foster increased cooperation and exchange of information among governmental authorities, the professional archaeological community, Indian Tribal governmental authorities and private individuals having collections of archaeological resources and data. (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-12. Definitions.
(3) "State lands" means any lands owned, occupied, or controlled by the State of North Carolina, with the exception of those lands under short term lease solely for archaeological purposes, excluding highway right-of-ways. (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-14. Rule-making authority; custody of resources.
The North Carolina Historical Commission, in consultation with the Department of Administration, may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this Article and to provide for the exchange, where appropriate, between suitable universities, museums, or other scientific or educational institutions, of archaeological resources removed from State lands pursuant to this Article, and the ultimate disposition of those resources. (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-15. Prohibited acts and criminal penalties.
(a) No person may excavate, remove, damage or otherwise alter or deface any archaeological resource located on State lands unless he is acting pursuant to a permit issued under G.S. 70-13.
(b) No person may sell, purchase, exchange, transport, receive, or offer to sell, purchase, exchange, transport or receive any archaeological resource excavated or removed from State lands in violation of the prohibition contained in G.S. 70-15(a).
(c) Any person who knowingly and willfully violates or employs any other person to violate any prohibition contained in G.S. 70-15(a) or G.S. 70-15(b) shall upon conviction, be fined not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court.
(d) Each day on which a violation occurs shall be a separate and distinct offense. (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-16. Civil penalties.
A civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) may be assessed by the Department of Administration, in consultation with the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, against any person who violates the provisions of G.S. 70-15. In determining the amount of the penalty, the Department shall consider the extent of the harm caused by the violation and the cost of rectifying the damage. Any person assessed shall be notified of the assessment by registered or certified mail. The notice shall specify the reasons for the assessment. If the person assessed fails to pay the amount of the assessment to the Department within 30 days after receipt of notice, the Department may institute a civil action in the Superior Court of Wake County to recover the amount of the assessment.
The Department may use the assessed funds to rectify the damage to archaeological resources. The clear proceeds of all assessed funds not used to rectify the damage shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2. (1981, c. 904, s. 2; 1987, c. 827, s. 215; 1998-215, s. 2; 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)
§ 70-17. Forfeiture.
All archaeological resources with respect to which a violation of G.S. 70-15(a) or 70-15(b) occurred, and all vehicles and equipment which were used in connection with such violation shall be subject to forfeiture to the State of North Carolina in the same manner as vehicles and equipment subject to forfeiture under G.S. 90-112. (1981, c. 904, s. 2.)
§ 70-18. Confidentiality.
Information concerning the nature and location of any archaeological resource, regardless of the ownership of the property, may be made available to the public under Chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes or under any other provision of law unless the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources determines that the disclosures would create a risk of harm to such resources or to the site at which such resources are located. (1981, c. 904, s. 2; 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)
§ 70-19. Cooperation with private individuals.
The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources shall take any action necessary, consistent with the purposes of this Article, to foster and improve the communication, cooperation, and exchange of information between:
(1) Private individuals having collections of archaeological resources and data which were obtained through legal means, and
(2) Professional archaeologists and associations of professional archaeologists concerned with the archaeological resources of North Carolina and of the United States. (1981, c. 904, s. 2; 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)
§ 70-20. Delegation of responsibilities.
If the Department of Administration and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources agree, the responsibilities, in whole or in part, of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources under this Article may be delegated through a memorandum of understanding to the Department of Administration. Such a memorandum of understanding will be subject to periodic review at the initiation of either party to the memorandum. (1981, c. 904, s. 2; 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)
§§ 70-21 through 70-25. Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 70-21. Cemeteries on State lands.
(a) To preserve the sanctity of cemeteries located on State lands, the head of each State agency shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) To identify and inventory all known cemeteries on State lands allocated to that State agency.
(2) To furnish a copy of the inventory to the State Property Office and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
(b) State agencies are not required to provide State funds or other resources to maintain cemeteries on State land, except when required by law, regulation, or ordinance; directed by court order; or necessary to correct a known safety hazard to the public.
(c) State agencies may allow a family member or other interested person to maintain cemeteries and erect signs, fencing, grave markers, monuments, and tombstones within the designated boundaries of the cemetery if this activity does not constitute a safety hazard to the public. The family member or person shall obtain approval from the respective State agency and shall be responsible for any expense incurred by the activity. (2015-241, s.14.30(c); 2015-285, s. 1.)