§195D-5 Conservation programs. (a) The department shall conduct research on indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants, and on endangered species and their associated ecosystems, and shall utilize the land acquisition and other authority vested in the department to carry out programs for the conservation, management, and protection of such species and their associated ecosystems. In addition, the department is hereby authorized to acquire by purchase, donation or otherwise, lands or interests therein needed to carry out the programs relating to the intent and purpose of this chapter.

(b) The office of the governor shall review other programs administered by the department and, to the extent practicable, utilize such programs in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter. The governor or the governor's authorized representative shall also encourage all federal agencies to utilize their authority in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter. All other state agencies shall use their authority in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter by:

(1) Carrying out programs for the protection of threatened and endangered species; and

(2) Taking such action as may be necessary to ensure that actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them do not jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered species.

In carrying out programs authorized by this chapter, the department may enter into agreements with federal agencies, counties, private landowners, and organizations for the administration and management of any area or facility established under section 195D-21 or 195D-22, or public lands utilized for conserving, managing, enhancing, or protecting indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, land plants, threatened and endangered species, and their habitat.

(c) In carrying out programs authorized by this section, the department may enter into agreements with federal agencies and with the counties for administration and management of any area established under this section, or utilized for conserving, managing, enhancing, or protecting indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, land plants, and endangered species.

(d) In carrying out programs authorized by this section, priority shall be given to the conservation and protection of those endangered aquatic life, wildlife, and land plant species and their associated ecosystems, whose extinction within the State would imperil or terminate, respectively, their existence in the world.

(e) The department shall coordinate with the natural area reserves commission and the animal species advisory commission all research, investigations, lists of indigenous and endangered aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants, and programs for the conservation, management, enhancement, and protection of species that are authorized by this chapter.

(f) The department may permit, under terms and conditions adopted by rule, the taking, possession, transportation, or exportation of any indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, or land plant on the endangered species list for scientific purposes and for propagation of such species in captivity for preservation purposes. [L 1975, c 65, pt of §1; am L 1981, c 17, §1; am L 1983, c 111, §6; gen ch 1985; am L 1997, c 380, §5]