Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner may establish environmental education resource centers throughout the state as needed. The environmental education resource centers shall serve as a source of information and programs for citizens, provide ongoing contact with the public for feedback to the commissioner on regional environmental education issues and priorities, and serve as distribution centers for environmental education programs.

Subd. 2. Duties. The resource centers shall:

(1) implement the programs and priorities of the agency as defined in the plan;

(2) convey regional program priorities to the commissioner;

(3) evaluate regional implementation of environmental education programs and report to the commissioner on the evaluations;

(4) provide regional liaison and coordination for organizations, agencies, and individuals providing environmental education programs on particular issues;

(5) be a distribution and publicity center for agencies, environmental organizations, environmental learning center publications, programs, and services;

(6) be a central source of information for citizens interested in issues that are the responsibility of many agencies, boards, task forces, and organizations;

(7) provide technical assistance to local and state organizations and agencies on program design, promotion, and publicity to reach the chosen target audiences; and

(8) assist the service cooperatives by collecting and distributing environmental education teaching materials, displays, computer programs, resource person lists, and audio-visual aids, and provide assistance with teacher training workshops and programs on request.

History: 1990 c 595 s 6; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 138; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 103; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 2 s 161