Section 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.