The director of natural resources may enter into cooperative or contractual arrangements with the United States or any agency or department thereof, other states, other departments and subdivisions of this state, or any other person or body politic for the accomplishment of the purposes for which the department of natural resources was created. The director shall cooperate with, and not infringe upon the rights of, other state departments, divisions, boards, commissions, and agencies, political subdivisions, and other public officials and public and private agencies in the conduct of conservation plans and other matters in which the interests of the department of natural resources and the other departments and agencies overlap.

The director, by mutual agreement, may utilize the facilities and staffs of state-supported educational institutions in order to promote the conservation and development of the natural resources of the state.

All funds made available by the United States for the exclusive use of any division shall be expended only by that division and only for the purposes for which the funds were appropriated. In accepting any such funds for the acquisition of lands or interests in them to be used for open-space purposes including park, recreational, historical, or scenic purposes, or for conservation of land or other natural resources, the director may agree on behalf of the state that lands or interests in them acquired in part with those funds shall not be converted to other uses except pursuant to further agreement between the director and the United States.

The director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing guidelines for entering into and may enter into a cooperative or contractual arrangement with any individual, agency, organization, or business entity to assist the department in funding a program or project of the department, its divisions, or its offices, through securing, without limitation, donations, sponsorships, marketing, advertising, and licensing arrangements. State moneys appropriated to the department shall continue to be used as authorized and shall not be redirected to any other purpose as a result of financial savings resulting from the department's entering into the cooperative or contractual arrangement.

The director may enter into a mutual aid compact with the chief law enforcement officer of any federal agency, state agency, county, township, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision or with the superintendent of the state highway patrol to enable forest-fire investigators and natural resources officers and the law enforcement officers of the respective federal or state agencies or political subdivisions or the state highway patrol to assist each other in the provision of police services within each other's jurisdiction.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 293, §1, eff. 9/14/2016.

Effective Date: 03-18-1999; 04-06-2007