N.Y. Soil & Water Conservation Districts Law § 4: State soil and water conservation committee

§ 4. State soil and water conservation committee. (1) There is

established in the department of agriculture and markets, the state soil

and water conservation committee as an agency of this state which

committee shall exercise the functions conferred upon it in this

chapter. The administrative functions of such department under the

agriculture and markets law shall not operate or be applied in

derogation of the powers of the committee, or of the free exercise

thereof, as conferred by this chapter. The following shall serve as

members of the committee: five interested and qualified citizens to be

appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be appointed from a list of

nominees submitted by the state grange, one of whom shall be appointed

from a list of nominees submitted by the state farm bureau federation,

one of whom shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the

New York Soil Conservation Districts Association, Inc., one of whom

shall be appointed at large, who shall represent the farm interest, and

a fifth member appointed at large who shall represent the urban,

suburban and rural non-farm landowner interest; the director of the

state agricultural extension service, or his or her designated

representative; the dean of the state college of agriculture and life

sciences, or his or her designated representative; the president of the

college of environmental science and forestry of the state university of

New York, or his or her designated representative; the commissioner of

environmental conservation, or his or her designated representative; the

commissioner of agriculture and markets, or his or her designated

representative; the commissioner of health, or his or her designated

representative; the secretary of state, or his or her representative; a

representative of the New York State Conservation District Employees'

Association; and the state conservationist of the soil conservation

service of the United States department of agriculture, or his

designated representative. The five lay members shall be the voting

members. The balance of the committee will serve in an advisory or

consulting capacity. The committee shall keep a record of its official

actions, and may perform such acts, and promulgate such rules and

regulations as may be necessary for the execution of its functions under

this chapter. After April twenty-third, nineteen hundred sixty-four, the

first appointment of the member chosen from a list submitted by the New

York soil and water conservation districts association shall be made of

a successor to the member representing the state grange whose term first

expires, and the first appointment of the member representing non-farm

interests shall be made of a successor to the member representing the

New York farm bureau whose term first expires.

(2) The committee may call upon the attorney-general of the state for

such legal services as it may require. It shall have authority to

delegate to its chairman, to one or more of its members, or to one or

more agents or employees such powers and duties as it may deem proper.

Upon request of the committee for the purpose of carrying out any of its

functions, the supervising officer of any state agency, or of any state

institution of learning shall, insofar as may be possible under

available appropriations, and having due regard to the needs of the

agency to which the request is directed, assign or detail to the

committee members of the staff or personnel of such agency or

institution of learning, and make such special reports, surveys or

studies as the committee may request.

(3) The committee shall designate its chairman and may from time to

time change such designation. The lay members shall be appointed for a

period of five years, except that the first five appointed shall be

designated to serve terms of one, two, three, four and five years

respectively, the terms of office to correspond to the state's fiscal

year. Committee members shall hold office until their successors have

been appointed and have qualified. The selection of successors to fill a

vacancy shall be made in the same manner in which the retiring committee

members shall have been selected. A majority of the committee shall

constitute a quorum and the concurrence of a majority in any matter

within their duties shall be required for its determination. The members

shall not receive a salary or other compensation, but shall be entitled

to their actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses

incurred in the discharge of their duties. The committee shall provide

for the keeping of a full and accurate record of all proceedings and of

all resolutions, regulations, and orders issued or adopted; and shall

provide for an annual audit of the accounts of receipts and

disbursements.

(4) In addition to the duties and powers hereinafter conferred upon

the state soil and water conservation committee, it shall have the

following duties and powers:

a. To adopt such policies in the carrying out of district programs as

it deems appropriate;

b. To keep the directors of each of the several districts organized

under the provisions of this act informed of the activities and

experience of all other districts organized hereunder, and to facilitate

an interchange of advice and experience between such districts and

cooperation between them;

c. To approve and coordinate the programs of the several soil and

water conservation districts organized hereunder;

d. To secure the cooperation and assistance of the United States and

any of its agencies, and of agencies of this state, in the work of such

districts;

e. To disseminate information throughout the state concerning the

activities and programs of the soil and water conservation districts

organized hereunder, and to encourage the formation of such districts in

areas where their organization is desirable;

f. To accept contributions from any source to carry on work under the

provisions of this chapter;

g. To develop and maintain principles and standards for, and

procedures for participating in, the agricultural environmental

management (AEM) program in partnership with the department of

environmental conservation, as set forth in article eleven-A of the

agriculture and markets law;

h. To develop evaluation criteria, collect, maintain and analyze

information to assess the AEM program for effectiveness in meeting state

and federal environmental and public health goals;

i. To coordinate and approve the participation of the several

districts in the AEM program as set forth in article eleven-A of the

agriculture and markets law;

j. To coordinate and approve the participation of the several

districts in support of soil health and climate resilient farming as set

forth in article eleven-B of the agriculture and markets law.