§195D-5  Conservation programs.  (a) 
The department shall conduct research on indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, and
land plants, and on endangered species and their associated ecosystems, and
shall utilize the land acquisition and other authority vested in the department
to carry out programs for the conservation, management, and protection of such
species and their associated ecosystems.  In addition, the department is hereby
authorized to acquire by purchase, donation or otherwise, lands or interests therein
needed to carry out the programs relating to the intent and purpose of this
chapter.



(b)  The office of the governor shall review
other programs administered by the department and, to the extent practicable,
utilize such programs in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.  The
governor or the governor's authorized representative shall also encourage all
federal agencies to utilize their authority in furtherance of the purposes of
this chapter.  All other state agencies shall use their authority in
furtherance of the purposes of this chapter by:



(1)  Carrying out programs for the protection of
threatened and endangered species; and



(2)  Taking such action as may be necessary to ensure
that actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them do not jeopardize the
continued existence of threatened or endangered species.



In carrying out programs authorized by this
chapter, the department may enter into agreements with federal agencies,
counties, private landowners, and organizations for the administration and
management of any area or facility established under section 195D-21 or
195D-22, or public lands utilized for conserving, managing, enhancing, or
protecting indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, land plants, threatened and
endangered species, and their habitat.



(c)  In carrying out programs authorized by
this section, the department may enter into agreements with federal agencies
and with the counties for administration and management of any area established
under this section, or utilized for conserving, managing, enhancing, or
protecting indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, land plants, and endangered
species.



(d)  In carrying out programs authorized by
this section, priority shall be given to the conservation and protection of
those endangered aquatic life, wildlife, and land plant species and their
associated ecosystems, whose extinction within the State would imperil or
terminate, respectively, their existence in the world.



(e)  The department shall coordinate with the
natural area reserves commission and the animal species advisory commission all
research, investigations, lists of indigenous and endangered aquatic life,
wildlife, and land plants, and programs for the conservation, management,
enhancement, and protection of species that are authorized by this chapter.



(f)  The department may permit, under terms and
conditions adopted by rule, the taking, possession, transportation, or
exportation of any indigenous aquatic life, wildlife, or land plant on the
endangered species list for scientific purposes and for propagation of such
species in captivity for preservation purposes. [L 1975, c 65, pt of §1; am L
1981, c 17, §1; am L 1983, c 111, §6; gen ch 1985; am L 1997, c 380, §5]