1. There is hereby established, within the department, a Long Island Pine Barrens maritime reserve council to help local governments and the state coordinate the efforts of all municipal, county, state and federal agencies involved in the management of the preserve and to oversee and prepare a comprehensive intergovernmental management plan for the Long Island Pine Barrens maritime reserve that the state and local governments may adopt.

2. The council shall be composed of seventeen voting members. The governor shall appoint three members. The county executive of the county of Suffolk, with the advice and consent of the county legislature, shall appoint four members. The town supervisors of the towns of Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton, East Hampton and Brookhaven shall each appoint one member. The commissioner or his or her designee, the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation or his or her designee, the secretary of state or his or her designee for purposes of matters related to coastal resources and the commissioner of economic development or his or her designee for purposes of tourism shall serve as ex-officio members. All members, except ex-officio members shall be residents of the county of Suffolk and shall have demonstrated expertise in the functional areas to be addressed by the commission. All initial appointments shall be made within sixty days of the effective date of this title.

3. Members of the council shall serve for a term of two years or thereafter until a successor is appointed. A chairperson shall be designated by the governor. The council shall elect a vice-chairperson and such other officers as it may determine are necessary for the conduct of its duties.

4. Ten members of the council shall constitute a quorum.

5. The members of the council shall serve without compensation.