Subdivision 1. Powers and duties. In addition to the powers and duties of the state board provided by other law, the state board shall:

(1) offer to assist the district boards to implement their programs;

(2) keep the district boards of the state informed of the activities and experience of other districts and facilitate cooperation and an interchange of advice and experience among the districts;

(3) coordinate the programs and activities of the districts with appropriate agencies by advice and consultation;

(4) approve or disapprove the plans or programs of districts relating to the use of state funds administered by the state board;

(5) secure the cooperation and assistance of agencies in the work of the districts and develop a program to advise and assist appropriate agencies in obtaining state and federal funds for erosion, sedimentation, flooding, and agriculturally related pollution control programs;

(6) develop and implement a public information program concerning the districts' activities and programs, the problems and preventive practices relating to erosion control, sedimentation, agriculturally related pollution, flood prevention, and the advantages of formation of districts in areas where their organization is desirable;

(7) consolidate districts without a hearing or a referendum;

(8) assist the statewide program to inventory and classify the types of soils in the state as determined by the Minnesota Cooperative Soil Survey;

(9) identify research needs and cooperate with other public agencies in research concerning the nature and extent of erosion, sedimentation, flooding and agriculturally related pollution, the amounts and sources of sediment and pollutants delivered to the waters of the state, and long-term soil productivity;

(10) develop structural, land use management practice, and other programs to reduce or prevent soil erosion, sedimentation, flooding, and agriculturally related pollution;

(11) develop a system of priorities to identify the erosion, flooding, sediment, and agriculturally related pollution problem areas that most need control systems;

(12) ensure compliance with statewide programs and policies established by the state board by advice, consultation, and approval of grant agreements with the districts;

(13) service requests from districts to consolidate districts across county boundaries and facilitate other agreed-to reorganizations of districts with other districts or other local units of government, including making grants, within the limits of available funds, to offset the cost of consolidation or reorganization; and

(14) develop and implement a state-led technical training and certification program.

Subd. 2. Using funds. (a) Funds made available to a district from the state for expenditures necessary for its operations may be used only for purposes authorized by the state board.

(b) A district may designate the board of county commissioners to act as the agent of the district to receive and expend the funds at the direction and with the approval of the district board.

(c) The state board shall, in a manner it prescribes, provide closeout reports to the districts regarding the expenditure of the funds.

History: 1990 c 391 art 3 s 21; 1997 c 109 s 2; 2003 c 104 s 29,30; 2014 c 248 s 9; 1Sp2015 c 2 art 2 s 14