Conservation District Act; modifying definitions. Effective date.

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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 17, 2025

SENATE BILL NO. 1007 By: Murdock

An Act relating to the Conservation District Act;
amending 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3-1-103, which
relates to definitions; modifying definitions;
updating statutory language; and providing an
effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3-1-103, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 3-1-103. As used in the Conservation District Act:
1. “District” or “conservation district” means a governmental
subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic,
organized in accordance with the provisions of the Conservation
District Act, for the purposes, with the powers, and subject to the
restrictions hereinafter set forth;
2. “Director” means a member of the governing body of a
conservation district, elected or appointed in accordance with the
provisions of the Conservation District Act;
3. “Commission” means the Oklahoma Conservation Commission;
4. “State” means the State of Oklahoma;

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5. “Agency of this state” includes “Agency” or “agency of this
state” means the government of this state and any subdivision,
agency or instrumentality, whether corporate or otherwise, of the
government of this state;
6. “United States” or “agencies of the United States” includes
the United States of America, and any department, agency or
instrumentality of the federal government;
7. “Government” or “governmental” includes the government of
this state, the government of the United States, and any
subdivision, agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of
either of them;
8. “Due notice” which shall be in conformance with the
Administrative Procedures Act means notice published at least twice,
with an interval of at least seven (7) days between the two
publication dates, in a newspaper or other publication of general
circulation within the district, or, if no such publication of
general circulation is available, by posting at five conspicuous
places within the district, such posting to include, where possible,
posting at public places where it may be customary to post notices
concerning county or municipal affairs generally. At any hearing
held pursuant to such notice, at the time and place designated in
such notice, adjournment may be made from time to time without the
necessity of renewing such notice for such adjourned dates;

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9. “District cooperator” means any person that has entered into
a cooperative agreement with a conservation district for the purpose
of protecting, conserving and practicing wise use of the renewable
natural resources under his or her control;
10. “Renewable natural resources”, “natural resources” or
“resources” include land, soil, water, vegetation, trees, natural
beauty, scenery and open space;
11. “Conservation” includes conservation, development,
improvement, maintenance, management, preservation, restoration,
rehabilitation, protection and wise use of land, water and related
natural resources; the control and prevention of floodwater and
sediment damages; and the disposal of excess surface waters for the
public benefit and sustainable social and economic utilization;
12. “Cost-Share “Cost-share program” means the assumption by
the state of a proportional share of the cost of installing
conservation structures, conservation practices or best management
practices on lands for public and environmental benefits;
13. “Best management practices” means a control method or
combination of control methods that is determined to be the most
effective and practicable means of preventing soil loss from erosion
or reducing the amount of nonpoint source pollution from a given
land use;
14. “Nonpoint source” shall have the same meaning as such word
is defined by the Oklahoma Environmental Quality Act;

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15. “Pollution” shall have the same meaning as such word is
defined by the Oklahoma Environmental Quality Act;
16. “Nonpoint source working group” means an advisory group
established by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to provide input
into the state’s nonpoint source management and assessment program
and is open to federal, state and local environmental agencies and
natural resource agencies and other interested groups;
17. “Watershed” means an area of land that drains to a given
point;
18. “Blue Thumb Program” means a nonpoint source educational
program emphasizing water quality education, including volunteer
monitoring;
19. “Soil science” means the science which:
a. is the study of physical, chemical, and biological
processes taking place in both naturally occurring and
reconstructed unconsolidated material formed by the
alteration of parent rock due to exposure at the
earth’s surface, and
b. includes sampling, measuring, identification,
characterization, classification, and mapping of soil
materials and migration of water solute, air and other
gaseous components in the unsaturated portion of the
earth; and
20. “Soil scientist” means a person who:

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a. has earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in a field
of soil science from an institution of higher
education which is accredited by a regional or
national accrediting agency, with a minimum of thirty
(30) semester hours or forty-five (45) quarter hours
of undergraduate work in a field of biological,
physical, or earth science with a minimum of fifteen
(15) semester hours of core soil science courses, and
b. has a specific and continuous record of related and
verifiable soil science work experience for two (2)
years. Publications in a soil science publication or
prior qualifications as an expert witness in
administrative or judicial proceeding, hearing or
trial shall be prima facie verification of experience
related to soil science.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE
February 17, 2025 - DO PASS