(1) The Department of Environmental Protection is authorized, within the limits of appropriations available to the department for such purposes, to utilize any one or more of the following procedures in establishing and operating a program of financial assistance to local governments for the acquisition of public beach properties:(a) The department may make grants for, and advance loans to, the governing body of any county or municipality in an amount not to exceed the fair market value, as determined by the department, of any waterfront property sought to be purchased by said governing body for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a public beach.
(b) The department may require the local governing body to give assurance that it has the financial ability to furnish or secure funds to complete the purchase of the property sought. Any revenue from concessions, tolls, or parking or otherwise produced by the development or operation of such public beach may be pledged to amortize any indebtedness incurred in such beach acquisitions.
(2) The Department of Environmental Protection may acquire waterfront property and may lease, sell, or grant acquired land, water areas, and related resources or improvements thereon to the governing body of any county or municipality upon such terms and conditions as the department may require in order to assure that such property will be reserved for public use and benefit in the future.
(3) In addition to the authorized assistance procedures provided by this section, the Legislature urges the Department of Environmental Protection to give priority to applications relating to the acquisition of public beaches in urban areas, and to make full use of the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, as amended, or other applicable federal programs. This section is supplemental to and shall not limit or repeal any provision of the Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Act of 1963.
