1. The Energy Planning and Conservation Account is hereby created in the State General Fund.

2. The Director of the Department of Wildlife may apply for and accept any gift, donation, bequest, grant or other source of money for use by the Account. Any money so received must be deposited in the Account.

3. The interest and income earned on the money in the Account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the Account. Claims against the Account must be paid as other claims against the State are paid.

4. Any money remaining in the Account at the end of a fiscal year does not revert to the State General Fund, and the balance in the Account must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.

5. The Director of the Department of Wildlife shall administer the Account. The money in the Account must be used in accordance with the State Wildlife Action Plan and used by the Department:

(a) To conduct surveys of wildlife;

(b) To map locations of wildlife and wildlife habitat in this State;

(c) To pay for conservation projects for wildlife and its habitat;

(d) To match any federal money for a project or program for the conservation of any species of wildlife which is of critical concern; and

(e) To coordinate carrying out the provisions of this subsection in cooperation with the Office of Energy.

6. The Department of Wildlife shall adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. The regulations must include, without limitation, the criteria for projects for which the Department may use money from the Account.

7. As used in this section, “State Wildlife Action Plan” means a statewide plan prepared by the Department of Wildlife and approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service which sets forth provisions for the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat, including, without limitation, provisions for assisting in the prevention of any species of wildlife from becoming threatened or endangered.

(Added to NRS by 2011, 2548; A 2013, 2766)