§ 9-15-104 — Wildlife and natural resource trust account board established; terms; meetings; duties

(a) There is created the Wyoming wildlife and natural
resource trust account board. The board shall consist of nine
(9) members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the
senate, who are residents of Wyoming. The members shall be
appointed from each of the appointment districts set forth in
W.S. 5-3-101. The board membership shall reflect a broad
spectrum of experiences including wildlife, agriculture, energy,
sportsmen and tourism.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each
appointed member of the board shall serve for a term of six (6)
years. In 2011, three (3) members shall be appointed for six (6)
years. In 2012, three (3) members shall be appointed for three
(3) years. In 2013 and every second year thereafter, three (3)
members shall be appointed for six (6) years. The governor may
remove any member as provided in W.S. 9-1-202. Any vacancy
occurring between sessions of the legislature may be filled by
the governor as provided under W.S. 28-12-101(b). The board
shall select one (1) of its members to serve as chair.
(c) Administration of any funds administered by the board
shall be by the secretary to the board, who shall be employed by
the board. The secretary shall not be housed in any agency
which may be a grantee under this act. The secretary to the
board shall further act as liaison for the board to other state,
federal and local governmental agencies, as well as nonprofit
organizations and members of the public who seek to provide
input regarding grant proposals.
(d) The board shall meet regularly. Members shall serve
without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties in the manner and
amounts provided by law for state employees.
(e) The board shall receive and evaluate applications for
grants from the income account and shall forward applications
for large projects to the select committee for review and
recommendation. The board may approve grants for any small
project. Subject to the spending policy established in W.S. 9-
15-103(d)(ii), funds in the income account are continuously
appropriated for small project grants approved by the board and
for approved large projects as specified by subsection (k) of
this section.
(f) The board shall adopt rules and regulations in
accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act as
necessary to carry out its duties under this act, including
rules to:
(i) Establish criteria for grants from the income
account which accomplish the purposes of this act;
(ii) Establish criteria for matching funds or other
in-kind contributions from grantees;
(iii) Evaluate, rank and prioritize grant proposals
with an emphasis on those projects that are partnerships
involving private and public entities;
(iv) Review and monitor grants to grantees;
(v) Evaluate the effects of grant proposals on
citizen access to public and state lands for hunting, fishing
and recreation activities;
(vi) Establish criteria for the acceptance or
rejection of gifts, transfers, bequests and donations including
interests in real or personal property, which criteria shall not
be inconsistent with this act. Based on those criteria, the
board shall make recommendations regarding the acceptance of any
fee simple interest in real property to the board of land
commissioners. Based on those recommendations, the board of
land commissioners shall make a final determination on
acceptance or rejection of any fee simple interest in real
property under this act;
(vii) Consider the socioeconomic impacts of the grant
proposal on the community affected;
(viii) Consider other necessary matters.
(g) In fulfilling its duties under this act the board may:
(i) Consult with other governmental agencies, persons
and nonprofit organizations, as necessary;
(ii) Accept or decline federal grants and other
contributions, grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations
of any money, personal property or interests in real property
other than a fee simple interest from any source. The board
shall make recommendations regarding the acceptance of any fee
simple interest in real property to the board of land
commissioners;
(iii) Participate with for profit corporations to
develop wildlife habitat, but may not divert financial resources
to a for profit corporation;
(iv) Recommend to the joint appropriations committee
and the select committee that funds be transferred from the
income account to the trust account.
(h) The board shall annually report to the governor, the
joint appropriations interim committee, the select committee and
the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources
interim committee no later than September 1 with respect to all
federal grants, state appropriations and other contributions,
grants, gifts, bequests and donations received and credited to
the trust account and income account during the preceding fiscal
year. The report shall include all grants awarded by the board
to nonprofit and governmental organizations and progress made
toward the condition of any grant made.
(j) Until the corpus of the trust account exceeds two
hundred million dollars ($200,000,000.00) the governor may also
include in his proposed state budget recommendations for
additional funding of the corpus of the trust account. The
governor may also include in his proposed state budget
recommendations for additional funding of the income account.
(k) No funds shall initially be expended from the income
account for large projects except upon specific legislative
authorization. Following the initial legislative authorization
to expend funds for a large project, the board may approve
additional grants for that large project not to exceed a total
of an additional two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) and
shall forward a notice of any such additional grant to the
select committee within thirty (30) days of each approval.
Subsequent legislative authorization shall be required for any
grant in excess of the limits of this subsection.