50-2-25. State consent to acquisition by United States of lands for forest and wildlife purposes; concurrent jurisdiction.

The consent of the state is given to the acquisition by the United States by purchase, gift, exchange, or by condemnation according to law, of only such lands as may be contracted, proposed, or offered for sale in writing by the ostensible owner to the United States, in which writing the owner consents to such acquisition, of such lands in all those counties in the northern and central portions of the state south to and including the Counties of Stewart, Webster, Marion, Taylor, Upson, Monroe, Jones, Putnam, Greene, Taliaferro, Wilkes, Jasper, Elbert, Warren, Hancock, Oglethorpe, Dodge, Treutlen, Laurens, Butts, and Richmond, and in and around the Okefenokee Swamp as in the opinion of state and federal government officials may be needed for the establishment, consolidation, or extension of national forests, forest experiment stations, wildlife sanctuaries, or for rights of way and land on which to build roads, highways, and bridges in the Okefenokee Swamp or for rights of way and land on which to build roads, highways, and bridges to connect the swamp roads with other highways, or for any development purposes best suited on these lands to be acquired by the United States. The state shall retain concurrent jurisdiction with the United States in and over such lands in all cases insofar as civil process is concerned, and such criminal process as may issue under the authority of the state against any person charged with the commission of any crime outside or within the jurisdiction may be executed thereon in like manner as if this law had not been enacted. In all condemnation proceedings, the rights of the federal government shall be limited to the specific objects set forth by laws of the United States in regard to national forests or wildlife sanctuaries and rights of way on which to build roads, highways, and bridges.