Article XIII
CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF RESOURCES
Section 1. The State Government
may provide for the protection, conservation and sustainable development of agricultural, marine, mineral, forest, water, land and other natural resources.Constitutional amendment: Section
1 was amended as set forth above by a constitutional amendment adopted by Yap State voters on
November 7, 2006 and certified by the Yap State Election Commissioner on
November 24, 2006. The amendment was set forth in Proposal No.
2004-39, D1 of the 2004 Yap Constitutional Convention. The original
wording was as follows: "Section 1. The State
Government shall promote the conservation and development of agricultural,
marine, mineral, forest, water, land and other natural resources."
Section 2. An agreement for the use of land where a party is not a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia or a corporation not wholly owned by such citizens shall not exceed a term of
[fifty] one hundred years. The Legislature may prescribe a lesser term.Constitutional amendment: Section
2 was amended as set forth above (with deleted language bracketed and added
language underlined) by a constitutional amendment adopted by Yap State voters on
November 7, 2006 and certified by the Yap State Election Commissioner on
November 24, 2006. The amendment was set forth in Proposal No.
2004-14, D1 of the 2004 Yap Constitutional Convention.
Section 3. Title to land may be acquired only in a manner consistent with traditions and customs.
Section 4. Radioactive and nuclear substances shall not be tested, stored, used or disposed of within the State.
Section 5. The State recognizes traditional rights and ownership of natural resources and areas within the marine space of the State
from the high water mark up to [, within] and beyond 12 miles from island baselines. No action may be taken to impair these traditional rights and ownership, except the State Government may provide for the conservation and
sustainable development [protection] of natural resources within the marine space of the State
from the high water mark up to [within] 12 miles from island baselines.Constitutional amendment: Section
5 was amended as set forth above (words added
underlined and words deleted bracketed) by a constitutional amendment adopted by Yap State voters on
November 7, 2006 and certified by the Yap State Election Commissioner on
November 24, 2006. The amendment was set forth in Proposal No.
2004-39, D1 of the 2004 Yap Constitutional Convention.
Section 6. A foreign fishing, research or exploration vessel shall not take natural resources from any area within the marine space of the State, except as may be permitted by the appropriate persons who exercise traditional rights and ownership and by statute.