The authority has a list of powers, including suing and being sued, holding property, contracting, eminent domain, bond-related supervision, hiring staff, and delegating duties, but it must not employ fiscal agents for bond sales.
The authority shall have the following powers: (1) To have succession by its corporate name without time limit; (2) To bring civil actions and have civil actions brought against it and to prosecute and defend in any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the parties; (3) To have and to use a corporate seal and to alter the same at pleasure; (4) To receive, take and hold by sale, gift, lease, devise or otherwise real and personal property of every kind and description, and to manage the same; (5) To acquire by purchase, gift or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or any other lawful means, and to convey or cause to be conveyed to the United States, the State of Alabama, any county or municipality in the state, or to any agency, department or instrumentality of such political entities, or to any public corporation, any real, personal or mixed property necessary or convenient to the authority in the performance of its duties and obligations in connection with the waterway project; (6) To exercise the right of eminent domain as freely and completely as, and in the same manner that, the State of Alabama is empowered to exercise such right; (7) To enter into contracts with the United States, the State of Alabama, counties and municipalities, with all agencies, departments and instrumentalities of such political entities, and with private individuals, firms, corporations and other persons for any purpose related to the authority’s duties and obligations in connection with the waterway project; (8) To supervise the sale of general obligation bonds of the state subject to the provisions of Section 33-16-12 and to extend the proceeds of the said bonds in discharging its duties and obligations in connection with the waterway project; (9) To appoint and employ such attorneys and agents as the business of the authority may require; provided, that the authority shall not employ fiscal agents in connection with the sale of bonds; (10) To appoint and employ an administrator and supporting staff with such duties and powers, for such terms and at such salaries as the board of directors shall deem advisable; (11) To delegate, subject to the provisions of Section 33-16-10, the performance of the authority’s duties and obligations to the Highway Department, the State Docks Department, and any other public corporations, agencies and departments of the state, in such part, to such extent, and on such terms as the board of directors shall deem advisable and to turn over to such other public corporations, agencies and departments of the state any and all funds of the authority necessary to enable such other public corporations, agencies and departments to perform the duties and obligations of the authority delegated to them.