146.485. Powers and duties of office
In furtherance of the purposes of KRS 146.410 to 146.530, the office shall have the following additional powers and duties:
(1) To seek and approve the dedication of nature preserves as part of the system;
(2) To make and publish policies and rules, and to recommend to the secretary the promulgation of administrative regulations for the selection, acquisition, management, protection, and use of natural areas and nature preserves, and for the conduct of office affairs;
(3) To cooperate with and to contract with any public body of this state, any public body of any other state, any private organization, any individual, and the federal government and its agencies;
(4) To purchase land from a willing seller without the use of the powers of condemnation or eminent domain, which said powers are expressly denied to the office;
(5) To make reasonable investigations as to the ownership of any lands which it judges may be appropriate for acquisition;
(6) To maintain a state registry of natural areas, an inventory of natural types, flora, and fauna, and other records of natural areas and nature preserves within the Commonwealth;
(7) To promote the coordination of all departments, divisions and branches of state, county and city governments within the Commonwealth which relate to nature preserves;
(8) To study the operation of all laws, rules, regulations, orders, and governmental policies affecting conservation of natural resources pertaining to natural areas, and to recommend to the Governor, and to the General Assembly, new legislation, rules, regulations, orders and policies in the interest of correcting natural resource conservation problems pertaining to natural areas and nature preserves;
(9) To provide a central clearing house of information for environmental and conservation matters and to promote educational programs pertaining to natural areas and nature preserves;
(10) To conduct research, investigations, public hearings, and interpretative programs and to publish and disseminate information to the general public pertaining to natural areas and nature preserves;
(11) To supervise the protection, management, and use of nature preserves and to enforce and administer rules and regulations pertaining thereto;
(12) To promote, study, investigate, recommend, encourage, advise and assist in the preservation, protection, and management of natural areas;
(13) To report to the Governor and General Assembly on proposed legislation, policies, regulations, or actions, public or private, which may significantly affect the quality of the natural ecology or the human environment in the Commonwealth. Such report shall include an evaluation of environmental and ecological effects, and shall compare any adverse effects of the proposed action against possible social benefits. The report shall describe and recommend appropriate alternatives, which avoid significant adverse effects on the quality of the natural ecology of natural areas;
(14) To submit to the Governor and members of the General Assembly, a report on or before October 1 of each even-numbered year, detailing the condition of each nature preserve in the system, and each registered natural area, and make other reports and recommendations as it may deem advisable.
Effective: July 14, 2018
History: Amended 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 29, sec. 33, effective July 14, 2018. -- Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 117, sec. 12, effective June 29, 2017. -- Created 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 118, sec. 16.
