(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, any person who wishes to recover, alter, salvage, or destroy any abandoned property that is located on, in, or in the immediate vicinity of and associated with a submerged watercraft or aircraft in Lake Erie shall obtain a permit to do so from the director of natural resources that also has been approved by the director of the Ohio history connection. A permit shall authorize the operation on, in, or in the immediate vicinity of and associated with only the submerged watercraft or aircraft named in the permit and shall expire one year after its date of issuance. To apply for a permit, a person shall file an application on a form prescribed by the director of natural resources that contains all of the following information:

1. (1) The name and address of the applicant;
2. (2) The name, if known, of the watercraft or aircraft on, in, or around which the operation is proposed and a current photograph or drawing of the watercraft or aircraft, if available;
3. (3) The location of the abandoned property to be recovered, altered, salvaged, or destroyed and the depth of water in which it may be found;
4. (4) A description of each item to be recovered, altered, salvaged, or destroyed;
5. (5) The method to be used in the operation;
6. (6) The proposed disposition of any abandoned property recovered, including the location at which it will be available for inspection by the director of the Ohio history connection for the purposes of division (C) of section 1506.33 of the Revised Code;
7. (7) Any other information that the director of natural resources or the director of the Ohio history connection considers necessary.

(F) Not later than sixty days after a complete application is submitted under this section, the director of natural resources shall approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the application. The director of natural resources shall not approve or conditionally approve an application until it has been approved or conditionally approved by the director of the Ohio history connection under division (D) of this section. If either director conditionally approves an application, the director of natural resources shall impose on the permit such conditions as the director considers reasonable and necessary to protect the public trust and general interests, including conditions that provide any of the following:

1. (1) Protection and preservation of the abandoned property to be recovered and of any recreational value of the area in which the operation is proposed;
2. (2) Assurance of reasonable public access to the abandoned property after recovery;
3. (3) Conformity with any policies established or rules adopted under section 1506.31 of the Revised Code governing access to and use of the Lake Erie submerged lands preserve, if any, in which the operation is proposed;
4. (4) Prohibition of injury, harm, or damage to the applicable submerged lands or to abandoned property not authorized for recovery, alteration, salvage, or destruction during and after the proposed operation;
5. (5) Prohibition against the discharge of debris from the watercraft, aircraft, or salvage equipment or limitation of the amount of debris that may be so discharged;
6. (6) A requirement that the permit holder submit a specific plan for recovery, alteration, salvage, or destruction to the director of natural resources prior to commencing the operation. The plan may include a discussion of measures that will be taken to ensure the safety of individuals who will recover, alter, salvage, or destroy or assist in the recovery, alteration, salvage, or destruction of the abandoned property and to prevent, minimize, or mitigate potential adverse effects on any abandoned property that is to be recovered or salvaged, any abandoned property that is not to be recovered, altered, salvaged, or destroyed, and surrounding geographic features.

(J) The director of natural resources may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and establish and observe such policies regarding the public availability and use of applications submitted and permits issued under this section as will meet the legitimate requirements of the person who submits an application or to whom a permit is issued. Unless the director of natural resources determines that revealing the location of abandoned property to which a permit or permit or renewal application applies is necessary to protect the abandoned property or the public health, safety, and welfare, the director of natural resources and the director of the Ohio history connection shall keep confidential and shall not release to any person the location of such abandoned property:

1. (1) During the time the application or renewal application is being processed;
2. (2) During the term of the permit or a permit renewal;
3. (3) Except as provided in division (J)(4) of this section, for two years following the denial of a permit or renewal application;
4. (4) During the appeal of any denial of a permit or renewal application and for two years following the entry of any final order or judgment in the most recent appeal of the denial. At the request of a permit holder, the director of natural resources may limit access to the site of abandoned property for which the permit was issued during the term of the permit.