(a)

1. (1) The Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council will fund projects for acquisition, management, and stewardship of state-owned lands or the preservation of state-owned historic sites, buildings, structures, or objects that the council determines to be of value for recreation or conservation purposes, said purposes to be used, preserved, or conserved for the benefit of this and future generations.
2. (2) In funding state park improvements, the council shall initially emphasize the restoration or renovation of existing facilities and historic structures within the system.
3. (3) Projects shall be selected for funding on the basis of their conformity with these purposes, pursuant to Acts 1987, No. 729, as codified in Arkansas Code §§ 15-12-101 – 15-12-103, or its successor.

4. (4)

   1. (A) To qualify for funding as a historic preservation project, a site, building, or structure must either be on, or determined eligible to be on, the National Register of Historic Places.
   2. (B) Any question of eligibility will be determined by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.

(c) Other review criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. (1) Resources.

   1. (A) Presence of natural resources:

(i) Exemplary natural communities;

1. (ii) Endangered, threatened, or rare species;

   1. (iii) Outstanding geologic features;

      1. (iv) Forest resources and their potential;
      2. (v) Water resources and their potential; and
      3. (vi) International, national, or statewide significance, comparison to other known projects, proposals, or publicly owned lands.
   2. (B) Recreational potential.

   3. (C) Archeological and historical features:

      1. (i) Known or potential sites or structures; and
      2. (ii) International, national, regional, or statewide significance, comparison to other known projects, proposals, or other publicly owned lands;

2. (2) Vulnerability and endangerment.

   1. (A) Susceptibility of the resources to degradation and/or deterioration.
   2. (B) Potential for destruction, including development plans, if any;

3. (3) Suitability for proposed use.

   1. (A) Features, including access and sufficient size for proposed use.
   2. (B) Manageability, including adequate boundary considerations, potential for resource protection, and proximity to other state-owned lands.
   3. (C) Adequacy of the management concept and plan, and potential for effective site management;

4. (4) Location.

   1. (A) Regional balance of available resources.
   2. (B) Area of critical state concern, if applicable;
5. (5) Ownership pattern. Number of items (parcels) and number of owners;

6. (6) Cost.

   1. (A) Acquisition cost.
   2. (B) Availability of other funding.
   3. (C) Alternative acquisition techniques, including less than fee simple acquisition, donations, mitigation agreements, and exchanges.
   4. (D) Cost for management/stewardship;
7. (7) Conformity with other plans. Conformity with plans, laws, and/or regulations currently existing, developed, and/or administered by other state or federal agencies; and

8. (8) Resource planning.

   1. (A) Resource-based acquisition goals and objectives.
   2. (B) Coordination with prospective management agencies.