Senate Bill No. 75–Committee on Natural Resources

 

(On Behalf of Legislative Committee on
Public Lands (NRS 218.5363))

 

February 11, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Provides for administration of program to provide grants for local treatment and control of invasive weeds and noxious weeds. (BDR S‑672)

 

FISCAL NOTE:    Effect on Local Government: No.

                             Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to the control of weeds; providing for the administration of a program to provide grants for the local treatment and control of invasive weeds and noxious weeds; making appropriations to carry out the program; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. 1.  The Director shall administer a program to

1-2  provide grants for the local treatment and control of invasive weeds

1-3  and noxious weeds. In carrying out the program, the Director shall:

1-4  (a) Solicit proposals from qualified entities to carry out one or

1-5  more projects each fiscal year. Each proposal must require a

1-6  qualified entity to provide not less than 25 percent of the cost of

1-7  each project.

1-8  (b) Establish priorities for the evaluation of proposals from

1-9  qualified entities and award grants each fiscal year to qualified

1-10  entities on a competitive basis.

2-1  2.  To the extent possible, the awarding of grants pursuant to

2-2  subsection 1 must be done in such a manner that each county in this

2-3  state receives the same amount of money pursuant to the program.

2-4  3.  The recipient of a grant awarded pursuant to subsection 1:

2-5  (a) Shall not use any part of the grant for the payment of any

2-6  administrative fees or expenses.

2-7  (b) Shall submit a written report on the project for which the

2-8  grant was received to the Director not later than:

2-9       (1) Ninety days after the completion of the project; or

2-10          (2) The last day of the fiscal year for which the grant was

2-11  received,

2-12  whichever occurs later. The report must include, without limitation,

2-13  a statement of the amount of acreage treated for the control of each

2-14  pertinent species of weed and the methods of treatment used.

2-15      4.  The Director shall compile the information contained in the

2-16  reports he receives pursuant to subsection 3 and, on or before

2-17  December 31, 2004, submit a summary of the results of the program

2-18  administered pursuant to this section to the Governor and to the

2-19  Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the

2-20  appropriate standing committees of the 73rd Session of the Nevada

2-21  Legislature.

2-22      5.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise

2-23  requires:

2-24      (a) “Director” means the Director of the State Department of

2-25  Agriculture.

2-26      (b) “Invasive weed” means an aggressive species of plant which

2-27  is not native to Nevada and which has the capability to outcompete

2-28  native plants and dominate natural plant communities.

2-29      (c) “Noxious weed” means any species of plant which is, or is

2-30  likely to be, detrimental or destructive, and difficult to control or

2-31  eradicate.

2-32      (d) “Project” means a local project for the treatment and control

2-33  of one or more invasive weeds or noxious weeds, or both.

2-34      (e) “Qualified entity” means:

2-35          (1) The governing body of a county or its designated

2-36  representative;

2-37          (2) A cooperative weed management area created in

2-38  accordance with the criteria set forth in the state weed plan;

2-39          (3) A weed control district created pursuant to chapter 555 of

2-40  NRS before July 1, 2003;

2-41          (4) A nonprofit organization that is recognized as exempt

2-42  from taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3); or

2-43          (5) A private landowner or a federal agency that owns or

2-44  occupies lands upon which weeds identified as invasive weeds or

2-45  noxious weeds are found.

3-1  Sec. 2.  1.  There is hereby appropriated from the State

3-2  General Fund to the State Department of Agriculture to be used to

3-3  provide grants for local projects for the local treatment and control

3-4  of invasive weeds and noxious weeds under the program established

3-5  pursuant to section 1 of this act:

3-6       For the fiscal year 2003-2004.. $1,700,000

3-7       For the fiscal year 2004-2005.. $1,700,000

3-8  2.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by this

3-9  section for the:

3-10      (a) Fiscal year 2003-2004 must be transferred and added to the

3-11  money appropriated for the fiscal year 2004-2005.

3-12      (b) Fiscal year 2004-2005, including any money added thereto

3-13  pursuant to paragraph (a), must not be committed for expenditure

3-14  after June 30, 2005, and reverts to the State General Fund as soon as

3-15  all payments of money committed have been made.

3-16      Sec. 3.  1.  There is hereby appropriated from the State

3-17  General Fund to the State Department of Agriculture to carry out the

3-18  program to provide grants for local projects for the local treatment

3-19  and control of invasive weeds and noxious weeds established

3-20  pursuant to section 1 of this act, including, without limitation, to

3-21  monitor and coordinate local efforts to treat and control such weeds,

3-22  to develop and maintain a map of the status of the treatment and

3-23  control of such weeds throughout Nevada, to provide outreach

3-24  services and services for the weed abatement program, and to

3-25  support educational and research programs specifically related to the

3-26  treatment and control of such weeds:

3-27          For the fiscal year 2003-2004.. $300,000

3-28          For the fiscal year 2004-2005.. $300,000

3-29      2.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by this

3-30  section for the:

3-31      (a) Fiscal year 2003-2004 must be transferred and added to the

3-32  money appropriated for the fiscal year 2004-2005.

3-33      (b) Fiscal year 2004-2005, including any money added thereto

3-34  pursuant to paragraph (a), must not be committed for expenditure

3-35  after June 30, 2005, and reverts to the State General Fund as soon as

3-36  all payments of money committed have been made.

3-37      Sec. 4.  1.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

3-38      2.  Section 1 of this act expires by limitation on June 30, 2005.

 

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