NY Pub Lands L § 17 (2021)
2021 New York Laws PBL - Public Lands Article 2 - Office of General Services 17 - Payment of Incumbrances on Public Lands; Adverse Claims; Costs.

§ 17. Payment  of incumbrances on public lands; adverse claims; costs.   The commissioner of general services, whenever he deems it for the  best   interest of the state may cause to be paid off and canceled any charges,   assessments, or incumbrances, other than the lien of a tax under article   ten  of  the tax law, existing on any lands belonging to the state or in   which the  state  has  an  interest,  or  may  acquire  any  outstanding   undivided  interest  in such lands adverse to the title of the state, to   perfect in the state a title to  any  such  lands,  or  to  protect  the   state's  interest therein.   Payments for any such purpose shall be made   from the state treasury, on the certificate of the commissioner and  the   audit  and  warrant of the comptroller, out of moneys available therefor   by appropriation.  Where the claim of title of the  state  to  any  land   within  the Adirondack or Catskill parks or adjacent thereto is based on   a tax sale,  the  conservation  department,  with  the  consent  of  the   commissioner  and  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  governor and the   attorney-general, may,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  chapter  five   hundred  and  sixty-nine of the laws of nineteen hundred and sixteen and   acts supplemental thereto and amendatory thereof, and chapter sixteen of   the laws of nineteen hundred twenty-six, whenever there  is  an  adverse   claim  or  claims  of title to such lands, acquire by purchase a deed or   conveyance of  such  lands  from  the  person  or  persons  so  claiming   adversely  on such terms and conditions as such state officials may deem   for the best interests of the state and to  avoid  litigation.    In  an   action for partition of or to foreclose a mortgage on such lands wherein   the  commissioner  is so empowered, the plaintiffs shall not be entitled   to costs if the people of the state are made a party  defendant,  unless   the  commissioner  after  a  full presentation of the facts to him shall   have determined before such action is brought against the state that the   interests of the state did not warrant  his  making  an  order  for  the   payment  or  cancellation  of such mortgage, lien or incumbrance, or any   amount due thereon, or for the acquisition of any outstanding  undivided   interest  adverse  to  the state, or pursuant to this section, or unless   the commissioner shall have failed to  make  such  determination  within   three  months after such full presentation of facts shall have been made   to  him  by  a  verified  statement  in  writing,  and  filed  with  the   commissioner at his office in the city of Albany, nor unless a certified   copy  of  the  designated commissioners' report of partition, and of the   referee's or sheriff's report of sale, in case of a sale, filed  in  the   action  shall have been duly served upon the attorney-general; and in no   such case wherein the people are made a party defendant  because  of  an   interest  other than the lien of a tax under article ten of the tax law,   shall any additional  allowance  under  sections  fourteen  hundred  and   seventy-four  or fourteen hundred and seventy-five of the civil practice   act be made to the plaintiff.