1. The Administrator of the Division shall coordinate the establishment and carrying out of a program of projects to improve sagebrush ecosystems in this State. The Division shall cooperate, without limitation, with:

(a) The Department of Wildlife;

(b) The State Department of Agriculture; and

(c) The Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

2. In carrying out the program described in subsection 1, the Division, on behalf of the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, shall:

(a) Oversee and administer a program to mitigate damage to sagebrush ecosystems through a system that awards credits to persons, federal and state agencies, local governments and nonprofit organizations who take measures to protect, enhance or restore sagebrush ecosystems established by the Sagebrush Ecosystem Council created by NRS 232.162;

(b) Identify and, if necessary, prioritize any projects concerning the enhancement of the landscape, the restoration of habitat, the reduction of any nonnative grasses and plants and the mitigation of damage to or the expansion of scientific knowledge of sagebrush ecosystems;

(c) Coordinate activities with federal agencies;

(d) If requested, consult with persons proposing to conduct activities in any area which includes any habitat of the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) to suggest measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate the effect of the activities on any sagebrush ecosystem;

(e) Solicit grants and private contributions for projects to improve sagebrush ecosystems; and

(f) On or before August 1 of each year, submit a report to the Sagebrush Ecosystem Council created by NRS 232.162. The report must include, without limitation:

(1) A description of each project conducted or planned to be conducted pursuant to the program described in subsection 1, including the cost, source of funding and, for projects that have been carried out, the results of the project;

(2) A description of any agreement between the Division and any person, federal or state agency, local government or nonprofit organization, including the purpose and provisions of the agreement;

(3) A list of all grants and private contributions solicited and all grants awarded to further the purposes of the program;

(4) A description of any significant activities conducted in any area which includes habitat of the greater sage grouse and all measures adopted to avoid, minimize or mitigate the effect of the activities on any sagebrush ecosystem; and

(5) Any other information specified by the Division or requested by the Council.

3. The Division may:

(a) Enter into any agreement with a person, federal or state agency, local government or nonprofit organization to further the preservation, restoration and enhancement of sagebrush ecosystems on public land or on privately owned land with the consent of the owner of the land;

(b) In accordance with subsection 3 of NRS 321.001, acquire and hold land and any interest in land or water required to carry out the program described in subsection 1;

(c) Sell or lease land and any interest in land or water that the Division determines is no longer necessary to carry out the program described in subsection 1;

(d) Within the limits of available money, award grants of money to other state agencies, local governments and nonprofit organizations to carry out the program described in subsection 1;

(e) Adopt any regulations to carry out the provisions of this section; and

(f) Conduct any other activities specified by the Division to carry out the program described in subsection 1.

4. The proceeds from the sale or lease of land or of any interest in land or water pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 must be deposited in the Account to Restore the Sagebrush Ecosystem created by NRS 232.161.

(Added to NRS by 2013, 3382)