(a) The County Law declares it to be a proper State purpose for the State to provide financial reimbursement to the counties for a part of certain local costs which must be met in the establishment of watershed projects.

(b) Payment shall be limited to costs for the acquisition of land, easements, or rights-of-way and the reasonable legal, appraisal and survey fees associated with such acquisition necessary for the flood prevention works.

(c) Such reimbursement shall not exceed one-half of the local expenditure for the land, easements and rights-of-way and associated legal, appraisal and survey fees which are necessary and required for the construction of flood prevention works, not including land treatment measures, for which Federal aid for construction costs is granted pursuant to the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (see section 607.7 of this Part) (16 USC 1001-1009).

(d) No reimbursement will be made for engineering or similar fees, contractors' services, equipment rentals, real estate brokerage fees, payments to district directors, commissioners or other county officials, or for land purchased for fill necessary for construction of the protective works. Reimbursement for county land acquired through tax default or otherwise shall not be allowed.

(e) Final decisions relating to allowable charges shall rest with the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation.