1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to state government; adding authority for the 
  1.3             board of water and soil resources to accept and 
  1.4             administer federal grants, donations, gifts, and other 
  1.5             contributions to achieve authorized objectives of the 
  1.6             agency; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 
  1.7             103B.101, subdivision 9; and 103C.401, subdivision 1. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 103B.101, 
  1.10  subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 9.  [POWERS AND DUTIES.] In addition to the powers 
  1.12  and duties prescribed elsewhere, the board shall: 
  1.13     (1) coordinate the water and soil resources planning 
  1.14  activities of counties, soil and water conservation districts, 
  1.15  watershed districts, watershed management organizations, and any 
  1.16  other local units of government through its various authorities 
  1.17  for approval of local plans, administration of state grants, and 
  1.18  by other means as may be appropriate; 
  1.19     (2) facilitate communication and coordination among state 
  1.20  agencies in cooperation with the environmental quality board, 
  1.21  and between state and local units of government, in order to 
  1.22  make the expertise and resources of state agencies involved in 
  1.23  water and soil resources management available to the local units 
  1.24  of government to the greatest extent possible; 
  1.25     (3) coordinate state and local interests with respect to 
  1.26  the study in southwestern Minnesota under United States Code, 
  2.1   title 16, section 1009; 
  2.2      (4) develop information and education programs designed to 
  2.3   increase awareness of local water and soil resources problems 
  2.4   and awareness of opportunities for local government involvement 
  2.5   in preventing or solving them; 
  2.6      (5) provide a forum for the discussion of local issues and 
  2.7   opportunities relating to water and soil resources management; 
  2.8      (6) adopt an annual budget and work program that integrate 
  2.9   the various functions and responsibilities assigned to it by 
  2.10  law; and 
  2.11     (7) report to the governor and the legislature by October 
  2.12  15 of each even-numbered year with an assessment of board 
  2.13  programs and recommendations for any program changes and board 
  2.14  membership changes necessary to improve state and local efforts 
  2.15  in water and soil resources management. 
  2.16     The board may accept grants, gifts, donations, or 
  2.17  contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise from 
  2.18  the United States, a state agency, or other source to achieve an 
  2.19  authorized purpose.  The board may enter into a contract or 
  2.20  agreement necessary or appropriate to accomplish the transfer. 
  2.21     Any money received is hereby appropriated and dedicated for 
  2.22  the purpose for which it is granted. 
  2.23     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 103C.401, 
  2.24  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.25     Subdivision 1.  [POWERS AND DUTIES.] In addition to the 
  2.26  powers and duties of the state board provided by other law, the 
  2.27  state board shall:  
  2.28     (1) receive and disburse any grants made available to the 
  2.29  state by the United States Department of Agriculture under the 
  2.30  preferred program developed under United States Code, title 16, 
  2.31  sections 2001 to 2009; 
  2.32     (2) offer to assist the district boards to implement their 
  2.33  programs; 
  2.34     (3) (2) keep the district boards of the state informed of 
  2.35  the activities and experience of other districts and facilitate 
  2.36  cooperation and an interchange of advice and experience among 
  3.1   the districts; 
  3.2      (4) (3) coordinate the programs and activities of the 
  3.3   districts with appropriate agencies by advice and consultation; 
  3.4      (5) (4) approve or disapprove the plans or programs of 
  3.5   districts relating to the use of state funds administered by the 
  3.6   state board; 
  3.7      (6) (5) secure the cooperation and assistance of agencies 
  3.8   in the work of the districts and develop a program to advise and 
  3.9   assist appropriate agencies in obtaining state and federal funds 
  3.10  for erosion, sedimentation, flooding, and agriculturally related 
  3.11  pollution control programs; 
  3.12     (7) (6) develop and implement a public information program 
  3.13  concerning the districts' activities and programs, the problems 
  3.14  and preventive practices relating to erosion control, 
  3.15  sedimentation, agriculturally related pollution, flood 
  3.16  prevention, and the advantages of formation of districts in 
  3.17  areas where their organization is desirable; 
  3.18     (8) (7) divide and consolidate districts without a hearing 
  3.19  or a referendum to confine districts within county limits, 
  3.20  without allowing a district, if feasible and practicable, to 
  3.21  contain less than four full or fractional congressional 
  3.22  townships; 
  3.23     (9) (8) assist the statewide program to inventory and 
  3.24  classify the types of soils in the state as determined by the 
  3.25  Minnesota cooperative soil survey; 
  3.26     (10) (9) identify research needs and cooperate with other 
  3.27  public agencies in research concerning the nature and extent of 
  3.28  erosion, sedimentation, flooding and agriculturally related 
  3.29  pollution, the amounts and sources of sediment and pollutants 
  3.30  delivered to the waters of the state, and long-term soil 
  3.31  productivity; 
  3.32     (11) (10) develop structural, land use management practice, 
  3.33  and other programs to reduce or prevent soil erosion, 
  3.34  sedimentation, flooding, and agriculturally related pollution; 
  3.35     (12) (11) develop a system of priorities to identify the 
  3.36  erosion, flooding, sediment, and agriculturally related 
  4.1   pollution problem areas that most need control systems; and 
  4.2      (13) (12) ensure compliance with statewide programs and 
  4.3   policies established by the state board by advice, consultation, 
  4.4   and approval of grant agreements with the districts.