23-2-903. Vandalism of cave unlawful. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a person may not purposely or knowingly:

(a) carve, write, mark upon, break, crack, burn, or remove or in any manner destroy, disturb, deface, mar, or harm the surfaces of any cave or material found in a cave, whether attached or broken, including speleothems, speleogens, and sedimentary deposits;

(b) break, force, tamper with, or otherwise disturb a lock, gate, door, or other obstruction designed to control or prevent access to a cave;

(c) remove, deface, or tamper with a sign stating that a cave is posted or citing provisions of this part; or

(d) disturb or alter in any way the natural condition of a cave.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) do not apply to a cave owner or the owner's authorized agent, officer, employee, or designated representative who undertakes work to improve or control physical access to the cave.