Conservation commission/committee structure

[Sherie Edginton]

I have a few questions regarding conservation commissions/committees:

• What agency is the commission/committee housed in?
• How long do the commission/committee members serve?
• Do they have term limits?
• Who do they represent? (DNR, DWQ, Dept of Ag, Past Presidents, Current CD Supervisors, Association Representation)

We would appreciate replies before March 17th.

Thanks!

[Brian Farkas]

Sherie,

The West Virginia Conservation Agency is the administrative office of the State Conservation Commission.

The SCC is a 10-member board of four governor appointees, the president of the WV Association of Conservation Districts, the dean of the West Virginia University agriculture college, dean of WVU extension, forestry director, director of WV Department of Environmental Protection, and agriculture commissioner, who serves as SCC chair.

The appointed positions serve four-year terms. The association position changes every two years with a new president. The others hold their seats because of their positions.

The SCC/WVCA is in state agriculture law, so that means were are connected to WV Department of Agriculture for payroll and purchasing functions. The WVCA’s office is located at the Department of Agriculture’s complex.

But, SCC/WVCA operate under a separate legislative approved budget. The SCC/WVCA also has its own policies and procedures.

I hope this helps.

[Cindy Lair]

Sherie –
In Colorado our “commission” is housed within the Department of Agriculture and is called the Colorado State Conservation Board. There are 8 regional directors and 1 member at-large, appointed by the Governor. Their terms are four years in length and they can serve up to two terms. Members do not have to be currently serving on a local conservation district board to serve on the CSCB, so long as they have legally served in the past.

These members guide policy and distribution of state funds for the conservation districts. The board members represent the conservation districts within their region (watershed). They direct priorities of our staff as far as providing training to the conservation districts.

I hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Cindy Lair

[Mel Davis]

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board is a stand alone state agency.
We have 5 State Board members elected by soil and water conservation districts from, and reside in one of, 5 mandated state areas. They serve 2 year staggered terms. In addition we have 2 Governor appointed Board members that serve 2 year staggered terms.
State Board members may be district directors but may not be connected to a state association.
There are no mandated term limits.

[Jim Gillespie, Iowa]

Sherrie:
In Iowa the State Soil Conservation Committee (SSCC) is housed in the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality.

Members serve six years. There are 9 members, six represent a geographic region of the state and have to be actively engaged in farming. One member represents Cities and Towns, one represents Forestry, and one represents Mines and Minerals. The committee is appointed by the governor and approved by our State Senate. The committee has to be gender and political split.

Members are limited to two six year terms if reappointed after first six year term.

The committee has advisors from the County Engineers Association, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Conservation Districts of Iowa. (Non-Voting)

The committee has Ex-Officio members from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University Extension. (Non-Voting)

Hope this helps and if you have questions, feel free to contact me.

[Lisa Knauf Owen]

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is a stand alone agency housed within the Agriculture Cabinet. There are 5 members on the Commission that are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the state senate for a five-year term, with one member coming up for appointment each year. Three of the five Commission members must be actively engaged in the practice of farming and/or ranching and all must be members of their local conservation district board. Commission members receive no salary – only reimbursement for travel. There are no term limits.

The state is divided into 5 regional areas that each commissioner represents.

Please let me know if there are additional questions,
Lisa Knauf Owen – OCC Assistant Director

[Teri Murrison]

From Idaho:

What agency is the commission/committee housed in? Under Agriculture in statute, but independent Commission.
•How long do the commission/committee members serve? 5 year terms
•Do they have term limits? no
•Who do they represent? (DNR, DWQ, Dept of Ag, Past Presidents, Current CD Supervisors, Association Representation) They represent the Governor and the agency.

Our website has the enabling statute and rules under “About Us”.

Teri Murrison
Administrator

[Doug Thomas]

•What agency is the commission/committee housed in? In Minnesota the Board of Water and Soil Resources is a standalone state agency and it is what would be considered in other states as the State Soil & Water Conservation Commission.
•How long do the commission/committee members serve? They are appointed by the Governor and serve 3 year terms, with the Governor appointing the Chair from the current members.
•Do they have term limits? Not legally but practice has been to limit serving on the Board to two terms.
•Who do they represent? (DNR, DWQ, Dept of Ag, Past Presidents, Current CD Supervisors, Association Representation) As noted above we are a bit unique form other states. The Board is made up of 20 members made up of 3 county commissioners, 3 soil and water district supervisors, 3 watershed district managers, 3 citizens, 2 city rep, 1 township rep, and 5 agency reps (DNR, PCA, MDA, MDH, UofM)

[David Williams]

•What agency is the commission/committee housed in? The NC Soil & Water Conservation Commission is housed administratively in the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
•How long do the commission/committee members serve? Four of the seven members serve three-year terms, but the three that serve in an ex-officio capacity because of their office in the Association generally serve three consecutive 1-yr terms.
•Do they have term limits? There are no official term limits in the Commission’s authorizing state statute, but the Association’s By-Laws state that for the three seats elected to represent the 3 major geographical regions of the state, “No person so elected shall be eligible to serve more than two successive terms.
•Who do they represent? (DNR, DWQ, Dept of Ag, Past Presidents, Current CD Supervisors, Association Representation)
All members are appointed by the Governor, but only one member is an at-large member. The other six members must all be district supervisors who either are appointed by virtue of their office in the State Association or they are appointed after first being elected as regional representatives by the Association.

[Karl Brown]

Our PA State Conservation Commission is physically housed in our Department of Agriculture, however, we have legal authorities in both PDA and DEP, and our chairmanship rotates between the Secretary of DEP and PDA each FY.

For appointed members, standard terms are 4 years.

We do not have any term limits.

Our current composition by law is:

Voting Members …

4 farmers appointed by the Gov and confirmed by Senate
2 public members appointed by Gov and confirmed by Senate
Secretary DEP (rotating chair)
Secretary PDA (rotating chair)
Dean of our College of Agriculture

Associate Non-Voting Members …

NRCS State Conservationist
Head of PA Cooperative Extension
Secretary of DCNR
Secretary of DCED
President of PA Association of Conservation Districts

[Hawaii DLNR]

In the State of Hawaii the Department of Land and Natural Resources is the state agency which manages the state parks, forest reserves, hunting and fishing, freshwater and marine resources, small boat harbors and ocean recreation, and conservation zoned lands, historic and cultural properties.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), is composed of seven members, one from each land district (island) and two at large, and the Chairperson, the executive head of the Department. Members are nominated and, with the consent of the Senate, appointed by the Governor for a 4-year term. The BLNR convenes twice monthly to review and take action on department submittals, including land leases and Conservation District Use Applications (CDUAs). Testimony from the public on program actions, development plans, permit applications, and all other BLNR actions are accepted and heard at this time. For further information about the BLNR, please refer to the Hawai`i Revised Statutes, Chapter 171-4.

[Ray Ledgerwood]

Attached is a database (old but good) on the subject as well as a summary for state boards developed while I was with NACD.

State Agencies Report 2.8.11

LAWPROJECT 2.8.11.mdb.zip (Access database)

 

Attachments:

1. 

   State-Agencies-Report-2.8.11.pdf
   

1. LAWPROJECT-2.8.11.mdb.zip

[Kent Zimmerman]

The Nebraska Natural Resources Commission is an independent body with 27 members.

Each Commissioner serves a four year term.

There are no term limits.

13 of the Commissioners are elected by Natural Resource District board members to represent a river basin (each of which is set out in statute) and to serve a four year term. I conduct these caucuses in January of odd years with six caucuses one time and seven caucuses two years later. In the event a Commissioner resigned, a special caucus is held within 30 days to fill the unexpired term. Only NRD board members residing within that basin are eligible to nominate someone, and to vote. The person nominated must also live in that basin and be 19 years of age or older.

14 commissioners are appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Legislature, to serve a four year term. Appointments are in even years with half appointed one year and half appointed two years later. Thus a quarter of the commissioners could be replaced every year, but usually most return. The governor appoints one commissioner to represent each of the following: Agribusiness interests; agricultural interests; ground water irrigators; irrigation districts; manufacturing interests; metropolitan utilities districts; municipal users of water from a city of the primary class; municipal users of water from a city of the first or second class or a village; outdoor recreation users; public power districts; public power and irrigation districts; range livestock owners; surface water irrigators; and wildlife conservation interests.

[Frank Minch]

In NJ the State Soil Conservation Committee is housed in the NJ Department of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources. The Committee is comprised of 11 voting members:

NJ Secretary of Agriculture (chair)
Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Executive Dean – Rutgers University, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Governor’s Appointee
6 SCD supervisors (3 representing northern districts/3 representing southern districts)

1 non-voting member – NRCS

SCD supervisor members serve staggered three-year appointments and are elected annually at the NJ Association of Conservation Districts Business Meeting. There are currently no term limits for members. Typically, SCD members are also Board members of the State Association. Although not required by statute, the Committee also has advisory members representing the Farm Services Agency, NJ Department of Transportation, and the NJ Builders Association.

[Shana Joy]

For the WA State Conservation Commission (WSCC):
The WSCC is a fully independent agency not organized within or subordinate to another state agency. The WSCC is governed by a board of 10 Commissioners. Commissioners serve 3 or 4 year terms depending on the seat they occupy. The two Commissioners appointed by the Governor serve 4 year terms, the three members elected by the WA Association of Conservation Districts serve 3 year terms, and the other seats are filled by representatives or designees of their respective organizations and may serve for longer time frames. There are no statutory or set policy term limits for the Commissioners; however, general practice is that the Governors’ appointees only serve one 4-year term before selection of another Commissioner occurs.
Three members are elected by the Washington Association of Conservation Districts and represent the 3 regions of WA State. Four members represent state agency leadership (Depts. of Ecology, Public Lands, Agriculture, and Washington State University). Two members are appointed by the Governor. And, one member represents the Washington Association of Conservation Districts usually filled by the current President or Executive Director.

[Marc Cribb]

In South Carolina, the conservation districts program resides in the Land, Water and Conservation Division (LWCD) within the SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
The 9 member LWCD Advisory Committee is housed in the LWC Division.
The members serve 4 year terms.
No term limits
5 members represent conservation districts (they are current or former district supervisors, and coincidentally past state CD association presidents)
the other 4 represent, Clemson University, regional government council, public water utility, and land conservation entity

[Laura Fribley]

General info on Indiana’s State Soil Conservation Board: http://www.in.gov/isda/2361.htm

Also, the link to Indiana Code: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/laws/2016/ic/titles/014/articles/032/chapters/002/ . If that doesn’t link back, please Google Indiana Code 14-32-2.

[Bill Smith]

The South Dakota Conservation Commission is housed under the South Dakota Department of Agriculture

There are nine members and they are appointed by the Governor to serve a three year term.

There are no term limits

The members of the commission include four farmer members (three of which representing a designated area of the state plus a fourth at-large member), two members representing the tree industry, one representing municipal interests, one representing the water development districts, and one at-large member. The farmer members must also be a current or past conservation district supervisors. Nominations for the farmer members are submitted by the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. Nominations for the tree industry members are submitted by the forest products industry. Nominations for the municipal interest are submitted by the municipal league. Nominations for the water development districts are submitted by the water development districts. The nominations for the at-large position are submitted by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture.

The Commission does not have term limits.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Bill Smith

[Beverly Migliore]

The Rhode Island State Conservation Committee has been established within the Department of Environmental Management to serve as an agency of the State and to perform the functions conferred upon it by Chapter 2-4 of the Rhode Island General Laws. These functions include coordination of Conservation District activities with other federal, state and local entities regarding natural resources within the State of Rhode Island. The RI State Conservation Committee continues to provide assistance and support to the three Conservation Districts in their efforts to assist local landowners and municipalities in the proper stewardship of our lands and waters. To this end, the Committee works with state and federal agencies to promote the districts’ mission on both the state and national level, while still providing administrative and program support.

The Conservation Districts were established in Rhode Island by State Law in 1944. The function of the Districts is to take available technical, financial, and educational resources and focus or coordinate them so that they meet the needs of the local land user for conservation of soil, water, and related resources. They operate on a premise that local people know the most about local needs. The districts do not regulate or enforce laws.

• What agency is the commission/committee housed in? RI Department of Environmental Management
• How long do the commission/committee members serve? Chair is appointed by the Governor, representatives are designated by their agencies
• Do they have term limits? no
• Who do they represent? see website

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