§41-9-291. Definitions.

As used in this division, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) COMMISSION. The Alabama Historical Commission, acting as the custodian of cultural resources for the State of Alabama.

(2) CONTRACTOR. Any individual, company, corporation, or private or public institution determined by the commission to be appropriately qualified, that has applied for and received a permit or contract from the commission to begin exploration or excavation activities in state-owned waters.

(3) CULTURAL RESOURCES. All abandoned shipwrecks or remains of those ships and all underwater archaeological treasures, artifacts, treasure troves, or other cultural articles and materials, whether or not associated with any shipwreck, that are contained in or on submerged lands belonging to the State of Alabama and the sea within the jurisdiction of the state, and that have remained unclaimed for more than 50 years, excluding therefrom sunken logs, cants, and timber resources of any other type not associated as part of a shipping vessel, and are eligible for, or listed in, the National Register of Historic Places or the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

(4) EXCAVATION. The study and intentional removal from submerged land belonging to the state, by accepted scientific methods, of any objects recognized as cultural resources.

(5) EXPLORATION. The systematic examination by actual survey of an area of submerged land belonging to the state for the purpose of locating and recognizing cultural resources.

(6) SUBMERGED LANDS. Lands under navigable waterways owned or controlled by the State of Alabama.

(7) TREASURE TROVE. Any gold bullion, gold ingots, gold dust, silver bars, and other precious metals or stones.

(Act 99-595, p. 1364, §2.)