New York Laws
Article 47 - County and Regional Environmental Management Councils
47-0107 - Powers of Council.

1. The council may advise on all matters affecting the preservation,
conservation and ecologically suitable use of the natural resources of
the county.

2. The council shall review the state of the county environment as a
whole, and shall prepare and submit an annual report of its findings to
the county's governing body. This report also shall include an account
of the council's activities and accomplishments which shall be based on
accurate records of its meetings and other works.

3. The council in cooperation with the county planning agency and
other appropriate agencies, shall prepare a plan for the protection of
the county's environment and the management of its natural resources,
and shall transmit it to the county governing body as soon as
practicable after the effective date of the establishment of the
council. In addition, each such council shall obtain from the department
of environmental conservation a copy of the state environmental plan. To
the extent practicable, the preparation, content and subsequent
revision, if any, of the county environmental plan shall be coordinated
with the state environmental plan and a copy of said county plan and any
subsequent revision shall be filed with the state commissioner of
environmental conservation.

4. It shall investigate and recommend to the county governing body
ecologically sound methods of planning the use of the county's
resources.

5. The council shall keep an index of all open areas within the
county, with the plan of obtaining information pertinent to sound
ecological utilization of such areas including land owned by any
municipality within the county. It shall keep an index of all open marsh
lands, swamps, and all other wet lands in a like manner, and may
recommend a program for their ecologically suitable utilization.

5-a. The council shall develop and maintain an inventory of natural
resources within the county and such other environmental information as
may be appropriate. Said inventory shall include wetlands and open
spaces and may include, but not be limited to, factors relating to
geology, soils, slope, water resources, vegetation, wildlife habitat,
unique natural areas, and scenic, historic, and archaeological sites.

6. The council may cooperate with and assist such other governmental
or non-governmental boards or organizations in the preparation of plans
or reports or the review of proposals or applications as the county may
direct.

7. The council may also conduct research into the land area of the
county and may seek to coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies
organized for similar purposes. It may advertise, prepare, print and
distribute books, maps, charts, and pamphlets if in its judgment it
deems them necessary for its work.

8. In those counties in which a county executive officer exercises
supervisory and managerial responsiblility for agencies in the executive
branch of county government, pursuant to charter or local law, the
council shall submit the reports described in subdivisions 2 and 3 to
both the county governing body and said executive officer.

9. When authorized by resolution of the county governing body, a
council may accept by gift, grant, bequest, or otherwise, money or other
personal property in the name of the county, for use in furtherance of
the provisions of this article. A county governing body may accept by
gift, conditional or unconditional grant, devise or otherwise, real
property in fee, or any lesser interest including conveyance with
limitations or reversions, for the purposes of this article.

In addition, upon the written recommendation of the council, the
county governing body may acquire by purchase in fee or any lesser
interest, through negotiation or by condemnation, such real or personal
property as may be needed to fulfill the purpose of this article.