§5B-2G-6. West Virginia Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund - Duties.

The board shall, on behalf of the fund:

(a) Disseminate information regarding land conservation and promote the conservation of land.

(b) Develop and implement additional guidelines and procedures, consistent with the purposes of this chapter, as necessary to implement this chapter.

(c) Seek and apply for funds from federal, state and private sources to carry out its purpose as provided in this chapter.

(d) From moneys received from the recording fee in accordance with section ten, article one, chapter fifty-nine of this code, to:

(1) Make available to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fifty percent of the moneys so received by the fund, for the division to acquire interests in real property for conservation purposes in perpetuity in keeping with the West Virginia Wildlife Conservation Action Plan or other conservation plans developed by the division, provided that the board approves any acquisitions. The division may agree to permit the fund to retain any or all of this fifty percent to remain in the fund to be used as payment of debt service and other costs associated with revenue bonds on the fund's behalf by the Economic Development Authority in accordance with the provisions of this article;

(2) Ensure that the remaining fifty percent of the moneys so received by the fund are used for competitive grants in accordance with this article or used as payment of debt service and other costs associated with revenue bonds on the fund's behalf by the Economic Development Authority in accordance with the provisions of this article, the proceeds of which shall also be used for competitive grants.

(e) Prepare and file electronically with the Governor's office and with the Legislature by the thirty-first day of August of each year a report that accounts for fund receipts and disbursals and sets forth a list and description of all grants approved and all acquisitions of interests in real property obtained with moneys from the fund during the current year, including the recipients of the grants, the amounts and the public benefits of the interests in real property acquired.

(f) Propose legislative rules in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to carry out its purposes and programs, to include specifically the qualifications and procedures relating to its awarding of grants.