47-0107. Powers of council.1. The council may advise on all matters affecting the preservation, conservation and ecologically suitable use of the natural resources of the county.
2. The council shall review the state of the county environment as a whole, and shall prepare and submit an annual report of its findings to the county's governing body. This report also shall include an account of the council's activities and accomplishments which shall be based on accurate records of its meetings and other works.
3. The council in cooperation with the county planning agency and other appropriate agencies, shall prepare a plan for the protection of the county's environment and the management of its natural resources, and shall transmit it to the county governing body as soon as practicable after the effective date of the establishment of the council. In addition, each such council shall obtain from the department of environmental conservation a copy of the state environmental plan. To the extent practicable, the preparation, content and subsequent revision, if any, of the county environmental plan shall be coordinated with the state environmental plan and a copy of said county plan and any subsequent revision shall be filed with the state commissioner of environmental conservation.
4. It shall investigate and recommend to the county governing body ecologically sound methods of planning the use of the county's resources.
5. The council shall keep an index of all open areas within the county, with the plan of obtaining information pertinent to sound ecological utilization of such areas including land owned by any municipality within the county. It shall keep an index of all open marsh lands, swamps, and all other wet lands in a like manner, and may recommend a program for their ecologically suitable utilization.
5-a. The council shall develop and maintain an inventory of natural resources within the county and such other environmental information as may be appropriate. Said inventory shall include wetlands and open spaces and may include, but not be limited to, factors relating to geology, soils, slope, water resources, vegetation, wildlife habitat, unique natural areas, and scenic, historic, and archaeological sites.
6. The council may cooperate with and assist such other governmental or non-governmental boards or organizations in the preparation of plans or reports or the review of proposals or applications as the county may direct.
7. The council may also conduct research into the land area of the county and may seek to coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes. It may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, and pamphlets if in its judgment it deems them necessary for its work.
8. In those counties in which a county executive officer exercises supervisory and managerial responsiblility for agencies in the executive branch of county government, pursuant to charter or local law, the council shall submit the reports described in subdivisions 2 and 3 to both the county governing body and said executive officer.
9. When authorized by resolution of the county governing body, a council may accept by gift, grant, bequest, or otherwise, money or other personal property in the name of the county, for use in furtherance of the provisions of this article. A county governing body may accept by gift, conditional or unconditional grant, devise or otherwise, real property in fee, or any lesser interest including conveyance with limitations or reversions, for the purposes of this article.
In addition, upon the written recommendation of the council, the county governing body may acquire by purchase in fee or any lesser interest, through negotiation or by condemnation, such real or personal property as may be needed to fulfill the purpose of this article.
Last modified: February 3, 2019