§ 35-73-105 — Powers and duties of the department

(1) In carrying out this
article 73, the department may:

(a) Seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or
public sources for the purposes of this article 73, but the department shall not
pledge the faith or credit of the state of Colorado or any county or other political
subdivision. In connection with the gifts, grants, or donations, the department may
enter into an agreement or contract.

(b) Administer and expend the following money to plan, develop, or
implement programs authorized in section 35-73-104:

(I) Appropriations made by the general assembly;

(II) Money granted to or made available to the department by the United
States government, an agency of the United States government, or a political
subdivision of Colorado;

(III) Gifts, grants, or donations received under subsection (1)(a) of this section;
or

(IV) Money derived from any other source, subject to appropriation;

(c) Provide grants, loans, and other resources to eligible entities to perform
soil health activities;

(d) Unless otherwise specified by the grantor or donor, use any money
received from a political subdivision of Colorado, the United States government, or
an agency of or corporation of the United States government to serve as a matching
fund for soil health activities; or

(e) Cooperate and collaborate, including entering into an agreement, to:

(I) Advance the scientific understanding of soil health, soil health practices,
environmental outcomes, or economic outcomes;

(II) Increase monetary or nonmonetary resources to support scientific
research; or

(III) Apply for grants, including applying for grants jointly, and obtain
resources to support the programs authorized in section 35-73-104.

(2) In establishing a grant program, the department shall:

(a) Make money available for demonstration projects, educational projects,
implementation projects, or research projects grants to eligible entities;

(b) Minimize the use of money by grant recipients for costs not directly
related to grant outcomes, such as administrative expenses or other expenses
related to overhead;

(c) Establish a monitoring and oversight procedure to ensure that money is
being spent as intended; and

(d) Establish protocols that ensure the confidentiality, in accordance with
section 35-73-107, of agricultural producer, landowner, land manager, and land
information, including with respect to a state soil health inventory and platform and
state soil health testing program.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added, (HB 21-1181), ch. 279, p. 1609, � 2, effective September 7.