CHAPTER 2. SOIL CONSERVATION BOARD
IC 14-32-2
Chapter 2. Soil Conservation Board
IC 14-32-2-1
Establishment
Sec. 1. The soil conservation board is established within the
Indiana state department of agriculture established by IC 15-11-2-1
as the policy making body for soil and water conservation.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.1-2006, SEC.218;
P.L.175-2006, SEC.4; P.L.2-2008, SEC.33; P.L.120-2008, SEC.11.
IC 14-32-2-2
Members
Sec. 2. The board consists of the following seven (7) members:
(1) Four (4) members who must be land occupiers with farming
interests, appointed by the governor.
(2) Three (3) members who must be land occupiers with
nonfarming interests, appointed by the governor.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997, SEC.9;
P.L.1-2006, SEC.219; P.L.175-2006, SEC.5.
IC 14-32-2-3
Qualifications of members
Sec. 3. (a) A majority of the seven (7) appointed members of the
board must have experience as district supervisors.
(b) In making appointments to the board, the governor may invite
and consider the recommendations of the following:
(1) The Purdue University cooperative extension service.
(2) The Indiana state department of agriculture.
(3) The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts.
(c) All appointments to the board shall be made without regard to
political affiliation.
(d) The members appointed to the board under section 2(1) and
2(2) of this chapter must be residents of at least four (4) different
geographic regions of Indiana.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997,
SEC.10; P.L.1-2006, SEC.220; P.L.175-2006, SEC.6; P.L.120-2008,
SEC.12.
IC 14-32-2-4
Term for members
Sec. 4. The term of an appointed member of the board is four (4)
years. An appointed member shall serve until a successor is
appointed and has qualified. The terms shall be staggered so that at
least three (3) members are appointed every two (2) years.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997,
SEC.11; P.L.175-2006, SEC.7.
IC 14-32-2-5
Travel expenses and per diem salary
Sec. 5. The appointed members of the board are entitled to the
following:
(1) Reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, and other
expenses as provided in the state travel policies and procedures
established by the Indiana department of administration and
approved by the budget agency.
(2) The minimum salary per diem as provided in
IC 4-10-11-2.1(b) for each day that the members are engaged in
the official business of the board.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25.
IC 14-32-2-6
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.136-1997, SEC.43.)
IC 14-32-2-7
Appointment of advisory members
Sec. 7. (a) The governor may appoint advisory members from
other organizations that promote conservation, including local, state,
and federal agencies upon the recommendation of the board.
(b) The governor shall appoint members to the advisory board that
represent the following:
(1) The Indiana state department of agriculture.
(2) The department of natural resources.
(3) The department of environmental management.
(4) The Purdue University cooperative extension service.
(5) The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts.
(6) The Farm Service Agency of the United States Department
of Agriculture.
(7) The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United
States Department of Agriculture.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.175-2006, SEC.8;
P.L.120-2008, SEC.13.
IC 14-32-2-8
Election of chairman of the board
Sec. 8. (a) The members of the board shall elect a member as the
chairman of the board.
(b) The director of the division of soil conservation established
within the Indiana state department of agriculture by IC 15-11-4-1 is
the secretary of the board.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997,
SEC.12; P.L.1-2006, SEC.221; P.L.2-2008, SEC.34; P.L.120-2008,
SEC.14.
IC 14-32-2-9
Quorum
Sec. 9. A majority of the members of the board constitutes a
quorum. The concurrence of a majority of the members is required
for the board to take any action.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25.
IC 14-32-2-10
Delegation of powers and duties
Sec. 10. The board may delegate the powers and duties that the
board considers proper to:
(1) the chairman of the board;
(2) any of the members of the board; or
(3) the division of soil conservation.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25.
IC 14-32-2-11
Attorney general providing legal services
Sec. 11. (a) The board may call upon the attorney general for the
legal services that the board requires.
(b) For the purpose of carrying out any of the board's functions,
the supervising officers of a state agency or of a state educational
institution shall, upon request of the board, do the following:
(1) Assign or detail to the board any personnel of the agency or
educational institution, taking into account available
appropriations and the needs of the entity to which the request
is directed.
(2) Make the special reports, surveys, or studies that the board
requests.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997,
SEC.13.
IC 14-32-2-12
Duties of board
Sec. 12. The board shall do the following:
(1) Provide for the execution of surety bonds for all board
employees and officers who are entrusted with money or
property.
(2) Provide for the keeping of a full and accurate record of all
board proceedings and of all resolutions and rules the board
issues or adopts. The accounts of receipts and disbursements are
subject to examination by the state board of accounts.
(3) Offer appropriate assistance to the supervisors of soil and
water conservation districts to carry out district powers and
programs.
(4) Keep the supervisors of districts informed of the activities
and experience of all other districts and facilitate cooperation
and an interchange of advice and experience among districts.
(5) Coordinate the programs of the districts as far as this may be
done by advice and consultation.
(6) Secure the cooperation and assistance of the United States
and state agencies in the work of the districts. However, this
subdivision does not authorize either of the following:
(A) The transfer or control of authority over districts to a
federal agency.
(B) The transfer of title of land or control to the United
States.
(7) Disseminate information throughout Indiana concerning the
activities and programs of the districts and encourage the
formation of districts in areas where organization is desirable.
(8) Coordinate the erosion and sediment part of 33 U.S.C. 1288
(Public Law 92-500, Section 208) and other erosion and
sediment reduction programs that affect water quality, in
cooperation with state and federal agencies and through districts
as provided under IC 14-32-5-1.
(9) Develop a statewide regulatory program to be initiated after
all reasonable voluntary approaches to erosion and sediment
reduction have been exhausted.
(10) Conduct an inventory of conservation needs for planning
purposes and to inform the general assembly.
(11) Hold meetings in locations throughout Indiana.
(12) Adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this article.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.136-1997,
SEC.14; P.L.175-2006, SEC.9.
IC 14-32-2-13
Public hearings
Sec. 13. The board may perform the acts and hold the public
hearings that are necessary for the execution of the board's functions
under this article.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.25.