ARTICLE 2. GEODETIC AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

§29-2-1. Entry on lands for surveying under federal acts.

It shall be lawful for any person or persons employed under and by virtue of an act of the Congress of the United States, passed February the tenth, eighteen hundred and seven, and all acts supplemental thereto, at any time hereafter to enter upon lands within this state for the purpose of exploring, surveying, triangulating or leveling, or doing any other matter or thing which may be necessary to effect the objects of said act; and to erect any works, stations, buildings or appendages requisite for that purpose, doing no unnecessary injury to private or other property.

§29-2-2. Condemnation of land for such purposes.

In case the person or persons employed under the act of Congress aforesaid, or acts supplemental thereto, cannot agree with the owners or possessors of the land so entered upon and used as to the amount of damages done thereto by reason of the removal of fences, cutting of trees, or injury to the crop or crops growing on the same, it shall be lawful for such parties, or either of them, to apply, in the name of the United States of America, to the circuit court of the county to have the same condemned, and such application shall be proceeded in, tried and determined, in all respects as provided in chapter fifty-four of this code.

§29-2-3. Unlawful interference with signal, monument or building; penalty.

If any person or persons shall wilfully injure, deface or remove any signal, monument, or building, or any appendage thereto, erected, used or constructed under and by virtue of the act of Congress aforesaid, or any act or acts supplemental thereto, such persons so offending shall severally forfeit and pay the sum of $50 with the costs of suit, to be sued for and recovered by any person who shall first prosecute the same before any justice of the peace of the county where the person so offending may reside, and shall also be liable to pay the amount of damages thereby sustained, to be recovered with the cost of the suit in an action on the case, in the name and for the use of the United States of America, in any court of competent jurisdiction.

§29-2-4. State geological and economic survey director; qualifications for appointment; administrative powers and duties.

The Governor shall appoint as director of the survey a geologist of established reputation. At the time of his or her initial appointment, the director must be at least thirty years of age and must be selected with special reference and consideration given to his or her administrative experience and ability and to his or her demonstrated interest in the effective and responsible management of the state geological and economic survey. The director must have a master's degree in geology or in a related field and at least three years of experience in a position of responsible charge in at least one discipline relating to the duties and responsibilities for which the director will be responsible upon assumption of the office. The director may not be a candidate for or hold any other public office, may not be a member of any political party committee and shall immediately forfeit and vacate his or her office as director in the event he or she becomes a candidate for or accepts appointment to any other public office or political party committee.

The director may employ such assistants and employees as he may deem necessary. He shall also determine the compensation of all persons employed by the survey and may remove them at pleasure.

The director may set such reasonable fees as may be necessary to recover additional costs incurred in performing geological and analytical analyses. These fees shall be deposited in the state Treasury in a special revenue account to be known as the "Geological and Analytical Services Fund". The director is hereby authorized to expend such funds, as are appropriated by the Legislature, from this fund for the purpose of defraying said costs.

§29-2-5. Objects of survey.

The survey shall have for its objects:

(a) An examination of the geological formations of the state, with special reference to their economic products, namely: Building stones and other constructive materials and resources, clays, ores and other mineral substances and fuels, the prevention of their waste, and the utilization of by- products;

(b) An examination of the physical features of the state with reference to their practical bearing upon the occupations of the people, the industrial development and the material prosperity of the several portions of the state, having due regard to their varying resources, conditions and needs;

(c) The preparation of special geological and economic maps to illustrate the resources of the state;

(d) The preparation of special reports, with necessary illustrations and maps, which shall embrace both a general and detailed description of the geology and natural resources of the state;

(e) The consideration of such other scientific and economic questions as in the judgment of the director shall be deemed of value to the people of the state. The director may enter into cooperative agreements, grants and contracts and establish accounts for such purposes.

§29-2-6. Reports to Legislature.

The director shall cause to be prepared a report to the Legislature before each meeting of the same, showing the progress and condition of the survey, together with such other information as he may deem necessary and useful or as the Legislature may require.

§29-2-7. Distribution of reports.

The regular and special reports of the survey, with proper illustrations and maps, shall be printed as the director may direct, and the reports shall be distributed or sold by the director as the interests of the state, the diffusion of practical information relating to the development of the state, and the advancement of science, may demand. All moneys obtained by the sales of the reports may be used to defray the costs of publication and their distribution to the people, and any balance may be retained for that purpose.

§29-2-8. Distribution of surplus materials.

All materials collected, after having served the purpose of the survey, shall be distributed by the director to the educational institutions in such manner as to be of the greatest advantage to the educational interests of the state. If deemed advisable, all or part of such material may be put on permanent exhibition or otherwise disposed of in an appropriate manner.

§29-2-9. Right of engineers and surveyors to enter on property.

The engineers, surveyors and other persons employed by and acting for said survey, and all such persons employed by and acting for the United States geological survey, or other department of the United States government, having for their purposes the obtainment and diffusion of practical information relating to the resources and development of the state, the advancement of science, and the carrying out of the objects of the state geological and economic survey, shall have the right to enter upon all lands, either public or private, and into all mines, for the purpose of exploring, surveying, or doing any other thing which may be necessary to effect such objects, and examine any property, products or developments, relating to the objects of said survey, within the state, without molestation or arrest, and without being liable to the owners thereof, except for actual damages done to the property.

§29-2-10.

Repealed.

Acts, 2010 Reg. Sess., Ch. 32.