NRS548.175. General powers and duties.

  The Commission has the following duties and powers:

      1.  To carry out the policies of this State in programs at the state level for the conservation of the renewable natural resources of this State and to represent the State in matters affecting such resources.

      2.  To offer such assistance as may be appropriate to the supervisors of conservation districts in the carrying out of any of their powers and programs, to propose programs and to assist and guide districts in the preparation and carrying out of programs authorized under this chapter, to review district programs, to coordinate the programs of the districts and resolve any conflicts in such programs, and to facilitate, promote, assist, harmonize, coordinate and guide the programs and activities of districts as they relate to other special-purpose districts, counties and other public agencies.

      3.  To keep the supervisors of each of the districts informed of the activities and experience of all other districts organized pursuant to this chapter, and to facilitate an interchange of advice and experience among those districts and promote cooperation among them.

      4.  To secure the cooperation and assistance of the United States, any of its agencies and of other agencies of this State in the work of conservation districts.

      5.  To serve, along with conservation districts, as the official state agency for cooperating with the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture in carrying on conservation operations within the boundaries of conservation districts as created under this chapter.

      6.  To enlist the cooperation and collaboration of state, federal, interstate, local, public and private agencies with the conservation districts and to facilitate arrangements under which the conservation districts may serve county governing bodies and other agencies as their local operating agencies in the administration of any activity concerned with the conservation and use of renewable natural resources.

      7.  To make available, with the assistance of the Program, information concerning the needs and the work of the districts and the Commission to the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Legislature, executive agencies and political subdivisions of this State, cooperating federal agencies and the general public.

      8.  To cooperate with and give such assistance as may be requested by cities, counties, irrigation districts, and other special-purpose districts in the State of Nevada for the purpose of cooperating with the United States through the Secretary of Agriculture in the furtherance of conservation, pursuant to the provisions of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1001 et seq., and the requirements of other special programs of the United States Department of Agriculture.

      9.  Pursuant to procedures developed mutually by the Commission and federal, state and local agencies that are authorized to plan or administer activities significantly affecting the conservation and use of renewable natural resources, to receive from those agencies, for review and comment, suitable descriptions of their plans, programs and activities for purposes of coordination with the conservation districts’ programs and to arrange for and participate in conferences necessary to avoid conflict among the plans and programs, to call attention to omissions and to avoid duplication of effort.

      10.  To submit, with the assistance of the Program, a report to the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whenever the Commission determines that there exists a substantial conflict between the program of a district and the proposed plans or activities directly affecting the conservation of natural resources prepared by any other local governmental unit or agency of this State.

      11.  By administrative order of the Commission, upon the written request of the board of supervisors of the conservation district or districts involved, with a showing that the request has been approved by a majority vote of the members of each of the boards involved:

      (a) To transfer lands from one district established under the provisions of this chapter to another.

      (b) To divide a single district into two or more districts, each of which must, thereafter, operate as a separate district under the provisions of this chapter.

      (c) To consolidate two or more districts established under the provisions of this chapter into a single district under the provisions of this chapter.

      (d) To inform the Program of any action taken pursuant to this subsection for its approval of any new name and the appropriate entry in the Program’s records of the changes made.

      12.  To authorize the change of name of any district, upon receipt by the Commission of a resolution by the board of supervisors of the district for such a change and to present the resolution to the Program for processing and recording in accordance with the provisions of NRS 548.240.

      13.  To apply for any available grants and to accept and use any grants, gifts or donations to make available grants of money to qualified conservation districts to aid the districts in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

      [Part 4:212:1937; A 1951, 190]—(NRS A 1973, 743; 1977, 1173; 1985, 777; 1995, 1922; 2005, 121; 2011, 2481)