SB 1525 Summary

• Creates a new law authorizing the Secretary of Environment to develop or coordinate habitat conservation plans and candidate conservation plans for endangered and candidate species.

• Establishes a habitat protection fund (held outside the state treasury) to support development, coordination, monitoring, and administration of conservation plans.

• Allows the Secretary to impose mitigation fees to fund conservation plans and authorizes acceptance of appropriations, grants, and donations from public and private sources.

• Designates five state agencies that may be selected to undertake conservation plan functions: Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Conservation, Transportation, Corporation Commission, and Environmental Quality.

• Protects private landowner information from public disclosure under the Oklahoma Open Records Act if it relates to specific species location, identification, or quantity in conservation plans.