(a) The council may request information from any state officer, office, department, commission, board, bureau, institution, or other agency of the state and its political subdivisions that is deemed necessary to carry out the requirements of this chapter. All officers and agencies shall cooperate with the council and, to the extent permitted by law, furnish any information to the council that it may request.

(b) To assure the adequate development of relevant energy information, the council may request energy producers and major energy consumers, as determined by the council, to file any reports and forecasts; however, the council may request only specific energy-related information that it deems necessary to carry out its duties.

(c) The council is authorized to apply for and utilize grants, contributions, appropriations, and any other sources of revenue which shall be deposited in the energy policy development resources fund created under § 68-204-109, in order to carry out its duties; however, all applications and requests for grants and other revenues shall be made through and administered by the office of the comptroller of the treasury.

(d) The council may request the office of the comptroller of the treasury to allocate and dispense any funds made available to the council for energy research and related work efforts in such a manner as the council determines; provided, that the funds shall be used in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.

(e) The council shall be attached to the office of the comptroller of the treasury for administrative matters relating to budgeting, audit, and other related items only. The autonomy and authority of the council are not affected by such attachment, and the office of the comptroller of the treasury shall have no administrative or supervisory control over the council.

(f) All administrative costs of the council, including, but not limited to, the cost of the annual reports required pursuant to § 68-204-108, shall be payable out of any funds allocated to and received by the council.