2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 24 - Government - State
Administration
Article 1 - Administrative Organization Act of 1968
§ 24-1-124. Department of natural resources - creation - divisions

(1) There is hereby created a department of natural resources, the head of which shall be the executive director of the department of natural resources, who shall be the commissioner of mines. The executive director shall be appointed by the governor pursuant to law.

(2) The office of natural resources coordinator, created by article 33 of this title, and its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 2 transfer to the department of natural resources.

(2.1) The department of natural resources shall include, as a part of the office of the executive director:

(a) The office of commissioner of mines, created by section 1 of article XVI of the state constitution. Its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 2 transfer to the office of the executive director of the department of natural resources.

(b) Repealed.

(c) The Colorado avalanche information center, created pursuant to section 24-33-116. The powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 2 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the office of the executive director.

(3) The department of natural resources consists of the following divisions:

(a) Division of water resources, the head of which shall be the state engineer;

(b) The Colorado water conservation board and the office of director thereof, created by article 60 of title 37, C.R.S. Their powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources as a division thereof.

(c) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2000, p. 556, § 3, effective July 1, 2000.)

(d) The state board of land commissioners, created by section 9 of article IX of the state constitution. Its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources as a division thereof, subject to the state constitution.

(e) The division of reclamation, mining, and safety, created by section 34-20-103, C.R.S., the head of which shall be the director of the division of reclamation, mining, and safety, under the supervision of the executive director of the department of natural resources. Said division and director shall exercise their powers, duties, and functions as prescribed by law under the department of natural resources and the executive director thereof as if the same were transferred to the department by a type 2 transfer. The division of reclamation, mining, and safety shall include the following:

(I) The coal mine board of examiners, created by article 22 of title 34, C.R.S. Its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 2 transfer to the department of natural resources as a section of the division of reclamation, mining, and safety.

(II) The mined land reclamation board and the office of mined land reclamation, created by article 32 of title 34, C.R.S. The mined land reclamation board and its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of reclamation, mining, and safety. The office of mined land reclamation shall exercise its powers, duties, and functions as if the same were transferred to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of reclamation, mining, and safety as a section thereof by atype 2 transfer.

(III) The office of active and inactive mines, created by article 21 of title 34, C.R.S. Said office shall exercise its powers, duties, and functions as prescribed by law under the division of reclamation, mining, and safety as if the same were transferred to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of reclamation, mining, and safety as a section thereof by a type 2 transfer.

(IV) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2005, p. 1462, § 1, effective July 1, 2005.)

(V) Repealed.

(f) The oil and gas conservation commission of the state of Colorado and the office of the director thereof, created by article 60 of title 34, C.R.S. Said commission and office and the powers, duties, and functions thereof are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources as a division thereof.

(g) Repealed.

(h) (I) and (II) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (SB 11-208), ch. 293, p. 1382, § 3, effective July 1, 2011.)

(III) Repealed.

(i) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (SB 11-208), ch. 293, p. 1382, § 3, effective July 1, 2011.)

(j) The division of forestry, created in section 24-33-201 (1), the head of which shall be the state forester, appointed pursuant to section 23-31-207, C.R.S. The division of forestry and the state forester shall exercise their powers, duties, and functions as prescribed by law under the department of natural resources and the executive director thereof as if the same were transferred to the department by a type 2 transfer.

(k) (I) (A) The parks and wildlife commission, created in article 9 of title 33, C.R.S. The powers, duties, and functions of the wildlife commission and the board of parks and outdoor recreation are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the parks and wildlife commission as powers, duties, and functions of the parks and wildlife commission.

(B) The parks and wildlife commission includes, as an advisory council, the Colorado natural areas council created by article 33 of title 33, C.R.S.

(II) (A) The division of parks and wildlife, the head of which is the director of the division of parks and wildlife. The division of parks and wildlife and the office of the director of the division of parks and wildlife are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources.

(B) The division of parks and wildlife includes the fish health board created by article 5.5 of title 33, C.R.S. The fish health board shall exercise its powers and perform its duties and functions as specified by law under the department of natural resources and the executive director of the department of natural resources as if the same were transferred to the department by a type 2 transfer.

(4) The division of water resources shall include the following:

(a) The office of state engineer, created by article 80 of title 37, C.R.S. Said office and its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of water resources as a section thereof.

(b) The division engineers, created by part 2 of article 92 of title 37, C.R.S. Said engineers and their powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of water resources as a section thereof.

(c) The ground water commission, created by article 90 of title 37, C.R.S. Said commission and its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of water resources as a section thereof.

(d) The state board of examiners of water well construction and pump installation contractors, created by article 91 of title 37, C.R.S. Said board and its powers, duties, and functions are transferred by a type 1 transfer to the department of natural resources and allocated to the division of water resources as a section thereof.

(e) Repealed.

(5) Repealed.