640.150. Duties as to energy activities--department may enter into contracts and agreements, when.
Duties as to energy activities--department may enter into contractsand agreements, when.
640.150. 1. The department of natural resources shall be vested withthe powers and duties prescribed by law and shall have the power to carryout the following activities:
(1) Assessing the impact of national energy policies on this state'ssupply and use of energy and this state's public health, safety andwelfare;
(2) Consulting and cooperating with all state and federalgovernmental agencies, departments, boards and commissions and all otherinterested agencies and institutions, governmental and nongovernmental,public and private, on matters of energy research and development,management, conservation and distribution;
(3) The monitoring and analyzing of all federal, state, local andvoluntarily disclosed private sector energy research projects andvoluntarily disclosed private sector energy related data and informationconcerning supply and consumption, in order to plan for the future energyneeds of this state. All information gathered shall be maintained, revisedand updated as an aid to any interested person, foundation or otherorganization, public or private;
(4) Analyzing the potential for increased utilization of coal,nuclear, solar, resource recovery and reuse, landfill gas, projects toreduce and capture methane and other greenhouse gas emissions fromlandfills, energy efficient technologies and other energy alternatives, andmaking recommendations for the expanded use of alternate energy sources andtechnologies;
(5) Entering into cooperative agreements with other states, politicalsubdivisions, private entities, or educational institutions for the purposeof seeking and securing federal grants for the department and its partnersin the grants;
(6) The development and promotion of state energy conservationprograms, including:
(a) Public education and information in energy-related areas;
(b) Developing energy efficiency standards for agricultural andindustrial energy use and for new and existing buildings, to be promotedthrough technical assistance efforts by cooperative arrangements withinterested public, business and civic groups and by cooperating withpolitical subdivisions of this state;
(c) Preparing plans for reducing energy use in the event of an energyor other resource supply emergency.
2. No funds shall be expended to implement the provisions of thissection until funds are specifically appropriated for that purpose. Inorder to carry out its responsibilities under this section, the departmentmay expend any such appropriated funds by entering into agreements,contracts, grants, subgrants, or cooperative arrangements under variousterms and conditions in the best interest of the state with other state,federal, or interstate agencies, political subdivisions, not-for-profitentities or organizations, educational institutions, or other entities,both public and private, to carry out its responsibilities.
(L. 1979 H.B. 72 § 1, A.L. 2009 H.B. 661)Effective 7-07-09