Chap. 292.—An ACT to authorize counties, cities and towns to meet the require-
ments of local cooperation as expressed in Acts of Congress and Congressional
documents providing for River and Harbor and Flood Control projects of the
United States; for such purpose to confer upon counties, cities and towns the
power and authority to acquire by lease, purchase, gift or condemnation lands
and rights in lands which land and rights may be provided, free of cost to the
United States, for such projects to exercise certain additional powers and
authority in connection therewith, to make contributions in money or property
for certain purposes, and to save harmless the United States against certain
claims for damages arising out of projects and work incident thereto; and
to ratify and affirm resolutions and ordinances heretofore adopted by counties
cities and towns with respect to such matters. {H 441]

Approved March 16, 1948

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. Section 1. The governing body of any county, city or
town is authorized to adopt such resolutions and/or ordinances as
may be required giving its assurances to the Secretary of the Army
or the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army for the ful-
fillment of the required items of local cooperation as expressed in
Acts of Congress and/or Congressional Documents, as conditions
precedent to the accomplishment of River and Harbor and Flood
Control projects of the United States, when it shall appear, and
is determined, by such local governing body that any such project
will accrue to the general or special benefit of such county, city or
town.

Section 2. Such resolutions and ordinances may irrevocably
bind such county, city or town to provide, free of cost to the
United States the fee simple title to lands, perpetual and/or tem-
porary easement, rights-of-way and any other interest in lands
for cut-off bends, the laying of pipe lines, erection of dikes, sluice-
ways, spillways, dams, drains, deposit of dredged materials, and
for other purposes; to alter existing structures on such areas; to
simultaneously dredge designated areas not covered by the federal
project when and where required ; to construct and maintain public
wharves and public roads leading thereto; to make contributions
in money or property in lieu of providing disposal areas for dredged
materials; to hold the United States safe and harmless against
claims for damages arising out of the project or work incident there-
to; to remove sewer pipes and submarine cables; to construct and
maintain marine railways for the public use; and to provide or
satisfy any other items or conditions of local cooperation as stipu-
lated in the Congressional Document covering the particular pro-
ject involved. This paragraph shall not be interpreted as limiting
but as descriptive of the items of local cooperation, the accomplish-
ment of which counties, cities and towns are herein authorized to
irrevocably bind themselves; it being intended to authorize coun-
ties, cities and towns to comply fully and completely with all of
the items of local cooperation as contemplated by Congress and as
stipulated in the Congressional Acts or Documents concerned.

Section 3. For the purpose of complying with the terms of
local cooperation as specified in this Act and as stipulated in the
Congressional Document covering the particular project involved,
any city or town may acquire the necessary lands, or interest in
lands, by lease, purchase, gift or condemnation, whether such
lands are within or without the corporate limits of such city or town,
and any county may acquire such lands by lease, purchase, gift or
condemnation.

Provided, however, that the provisions of section thirty-eight
hundred thirty-two of the Code of Virginia, as now or hereafter
in effect, shall apply to any property belonging to any corporation
possessing the power of eminent domain which may be sought to
be taken by condemnation hereunder.

Section 4. All resolutions and ordinances heretofore adopted
by cities, counties and towns in furtherance of local cooperation
projects of the United States for river and harbor improvement and
for flood control and their acts in pursuance thereof are hereby
ratified and affirmed as if accomplished under the authority of
this act.

Section 5. This act shall be liberally construed as in aid of
projects of the United States for the improvement of rivers and
harbors and for flood control and in furtherance of and not in limi-
tation of powers now conferred by law on counties, cities and
towns.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its
passage.