§ 4811. Powers of Secretary

The Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter may:

(1) Make, adopt, revise, and amend reasonable rules that define practices described in section 4810 of this title as well as other rules deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(2) Appoint assistants, subject to applicable laws, to perform or assist in the performance of any duties or functions of the Secretary under this chapter.

(3) Enter any lands, public or private, and review and copy any land management records as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(4) Sign memorandums of understanding between agencies when the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets agrees it is necessary for the success of the program.

(5) Solicit and receive federal or private funds.

(6) Cooperate fully with the federal government or other agencies in the operation of any joint federal-state programs concerning the regulation of agricultural non-point source pollution.

(7) Establish programs to improve agricultural water quality.

(8) Provide grants or contracts from agricultural water quality programs established under this chapter, or by the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets for the purpose of providing technical and financial assistance in preventing agricultural pollution from entering groundwater and waters of the State, provided that the Secretary shall only use capital funding available to the Agency for water quality programs or projects that are eligible for capital assistance. (Added 1991, No. 261 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2019, No. 64, § 7.)