                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK COMPACT OF 1954 (§ 10.1-205.1)

§ 1. The Governor is hereby authorized and directed to execute, on behalf of
the Commonwealth of Virginia, a compact with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which
compact shall be in form substantially as follows:
		BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK COMPACT
		Pursuant to authority granted by an Act of the 83rd Congress of the United
States, being Public Law 275, approved August 14, 1953, the Commonwealth of
Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Virginia do hereby covenant and agree as
follows:
		Article I.
		The Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Virginia agree to create,
develop and operate an interstate park to be known as the Breaks Interstate
Park, which shall be located along the Russell Fork of the Levisa Fork of the
Big Sandy River and on adjacent areas in Pike County, Kentucky, and Dickenson
and Buchanan Counties, Virginia. Said park shall be of such area and of such
character as may be determined by the Commission created by this Compact.
		Article II.
		There is hereby created the Breaks Interstate Park Commission, which shall be
a body corporate with the power and duties set forth herein and such additional
powers as may be conferred upon it by subsequent action of the appropriate
authorities of Kentucky and Virginia. The Commission shall consist of the
Director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation or his
designee and the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Parks or his
designee as voting, ex officio members, and three commissioners from each of the
two states, each of whom shall be a citizen of the state he shall represent.
Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor. Vacancies shall be
filled by the Governor for the unexpired term. The term of the commissioners
appointed by the Governor shall be for four years. Their successors shall be
appointed for terms of four years each. Each commissioner shall hold office
until his successor is appointed and qualified. An officer or employee of the
State, a political subdivision or the United States government may be appointed
a commissioner under this act.
		Article III.
		The Commission created herein shall be a joint corporate instrumentality of
both the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Virginia for the
purpose of effecting the objects of this Compact, and shall be deemed to be
performing governmental functions of the two states in the performance of its
duties hereunder. The Commission shall have power to sue and be sued, to
contract and be contracted with, to use a common seal and to make and adopt
suitable by-laws, rules and regulations. The Commission shall have the authority
to acquire by gift, purchase or otherwise real estate and other property, and to
dispose of such real estate and other property. Each Commonwealth agrees that it
will authorize the Commission to exercise the right of eminent domain to acquire
property located within each Commonwealth required by the Commission to
effectuate the purposes of this Compact.
		Article IV.
		The Commission shall select from among its members a chairman and a
vice-chairman, and may select from among its members a secretary and treasurer
or may designate other persons to fill these positions. It may appoint, and at
its pleasure remove or discharge, such officers and legal, clerical, expert and
other assistants and employees as may be required to carry the provisions of
this Compact into effect, and shall fix and determine their duties,
qualifications and compensation. It may establish and maintain one or more
offices for the transaction of its business, and may meet at any time or place.
A majority of the commissioners present shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. The commissioners shall serve without compensation, but
shall be paid their expenses incurred in and incident to the performance of
their duties. They shall take the oath of office required of officers and their
respective states.
		Article V.
		Each Commonwealth agrees that the officers and departments of each will be
authorized to do all things falling within their respective jurisdictions
necessary or incidental to the carrying out of the Compact in every particular.
The Commission shall be entitled to the services of any State officer or agency
in the same manner as any other department or agency of this State. The
Commission shall keep accurate records, showing in full its receipts and
disbursements, and said records shall be open at any reasonable time to the
inspection of such representatives of the two Commonwealths as may be duly
constituted for that purpose. The Commission shall submit annually and at other
times as required such reports as may be required by the laws of each
Commonwealth or by the Governor thereof.
		Article VI.
		The cost of acquiring land and other property required in the development and
operation of the Breaks Interstate Park and constructing, maintaining and
operating improvements and facilities therein and equipping same may be defrayed
by funds received from appropriations, gifts, the use of money received as fees
or charges for the use of said park and facilities, or by the issuance of
revenue bonds, or by a combination of such sources of funds. The Commission may
charge for admission to said park, or make other charges deemed appropriate by
it and shall have the use of funds so received for park purposes. The Commission
is authorized to issue revenue bonds, which shall not be obligations of either
state, pursuant to procedures which shall be in substantial compliance with the
provisions of laws of either or both states governing the issuance of revenue
bonds by governmental agencies.
		Article VII.
		All money, securities and other property, real and personal, received by way
of gift or otherwise or revenue received from its operations may be retained by
the Commission and used for the development, maintenance and operation of the
park or for other park purposes.
		The Commission shall not pledge the credit of either Commonwealth except by
and with the authority of the General Assembly thereof.
		Article VIII.
		This Compact may be amended from time to time by the concurrent action of the
two Commonwealth parties hereto.
		§ 2. All governmental agencies of the Commonwealth of Virginia are authorized
to cooperate with the Breaks Interstate Park Commission, it being the policy of
this Commonwealth to perform and carry out the Compact and to accomplish the
purposes thereof. The Department of Conservation and Recreation is authorized to
transfer funds available to it to the Breaks Interstate Park Commission with the
same effect as if it were expending funds on State parks. The Breaks Interstate
Park Commission is authorized to exercise the right of eminent domain on behalf
of the Commonwealth of Virginia in acquiring land or other property required in
the establishment or enlargement of a Breaks Interstate Park.
		§ 3. The Compact approved herein and other provisions of this act dependent
thereon shall become effective upon the ratification and approval of the Compact
by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and upon approval of
this Compact by the Congress of the United States.
		Until such time as the Commonwealth of Kentucky approves the Compact as
amended by the first enactment clause hereof, the Compact adopted pursuant to
Chapter 37 of the Acts of Assembly of 1954, as amended by Chapter 292 of the
Acts of Assembly of 1964, shall prevail.

HISTORY: 1954, c. 37; 1964, c. 292; 1994, c. 622.