The council is hereby directed to undertake title studies and surveys of meadowlands throughout the State and to determine and certify those lands which it finds are State owned lands.
In undertaking its studies and surveys the council shall divide its work into such a number of surveys as it shall determine is advisable and it shall establish the priority in which such surveys shall be undertaken. As its first survey, and within 6 months of the effective date of this act, the council shall undertake, and complete, a study of the Hackensack meadowlands. During the period of time between the initiation of a project and the publication of the map and study delineating the State-owned lands within the survey area, the council shall make no conveyances, leases or transfers of any riparian land within the survey area.
These studies and surveys shall be performed on behalf of the council by the Navigation Bureau of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development.