(1) (a) The executive director of the department and the directors of the divisions within the department shall have the authority to direct and manage an integrated natural resources and environmental educational program.
(b) Natural resource and environmental education for the purposes of this article shall include but not be limited to scientific concepts underlying natural resource and environmental management, the history of natural resource development and management in Colorado, and natural resource public policy concepts such as private property rights and the interdependence between private and public resource management, an appreciation for the economic benefits and costs associated with natural resource management decisions, and an understanding of the role which land-based industries, such as agriculture, mining, and timbering, play in preserving and managing natural resources.
(2) (a) The department shall develop and conduct an educational program for the youth in this state. The goals of the youth educational program are to foster an interest in and a sense of stewardship toward the natural resources of the state, to provide summer jobs for students interested in pursuing careers in natural resources, and to provide career and educational development opportunities for students participating in these programs.
(b) As part of the educational programs of the department mandated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), a youth in natural resources summer work program shall be established. To the greatest extent possible, such work program shall incorporate opportunities for seasonal work with the department including, but not limited to, parks maintenance and wildlife field work. Any such seasonal work opportunities shall be geared toward disadvantaged youth with a particular emphasis on including youth who are disadvantaged as a result of economic circumstances, race, national origin, ethnicity, or gender.
(3) Any funds received or expended for the educational programs pursuant to this section shall be in accordance with section 24-33-108. Funds from other sources including, but not limited to, federal funds and any appropriation made by the general assembly to the department may be accepted and used for the purposes of this section.
(4) Repealed.
Source: L. 93: Entire section added, p. 383, � 2, effective April 15. L. 97: (4) repealed, p. 40, � 1, effective March 20.
24-33-109.5. Colorado kids outdoors grant program - created - fund created - rules - report - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Repealed.
(b) Eligible entity means:
(I) A school district; a board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of title 22, C.R.S.; a district charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22, C.R.S.; an institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, C.R.S., or an approved facility school as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), C.R.S.; or
(II) A nonprofit organization or an agency of the state or a local government, which organization or agency provides outdoor activities for youth that emphasize the environment and experiential, field-based learning.
(c) Executive director means the executive director of the department of natural resources.
(d) Fund means the Colorado kids outdoors grant program fund created in subsection (6) of this section.
(e) Grant program means the Colorado kids outdoors grant program created in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) There is hereby created in the office of the executive director the Colorado kids outdoors grant program to fund opportunities for Colorado youth to participate in outdoor activities in the state, including but not limited to programs that emphasize the environment and experiential, field-based learning. The grant program shall be funded through public or private gifts, grants, or donations received by the department of natural resources for said purpose pursuant to subsection (6) of this section. In addition, the executive director may use moneys received by the department of natural resources for the purposes of section 24-33-109 (2) to make awards through the grant program to eligible entities that provide outdoor activities that meet the criterion specified in subparagraph (V) of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of this section. The grant program shall not receive appropriations of general fund moneys.
(3) The executive director shall promulgate rules in accordance with the State Administrative Procedure Act, article 4 of this title, to implement the grant program. At a minimum, the rules shall specify:
(a) The procedures, timelines, and form for applying for a grant; and
(b) Criteria for selecting grant recipients, which criteria shall address, at a minimum:
(I) Providing outdoor activities for youth who reside in the metropolitan, urban, and rural areas of the state;
(II) Encouraging youth to participate with their parents or legal guardians in outdoor activities;
(III) Providing outdoor activities for youth from low-income families;
(IV) Whether the outdoor activity will occur in a state park, a national park or monument, county open space, or some other natural area of the state that is either developed for outdoor recreational activities or undeveloped; and
(V) Whether the outdoor activity is designed to foster an interest in and a sense of stewardship toward the natural resources of the state by providing summer jobs for youth interested in careers in natural resources or providing other career development opportunities; except that this criterion is applicable only to grants awarded from moneys received by the department of natural resources for the purposes of section 24-33-109 (2).
(4) Repealed.
(5) An eligible entity that seeks a grant through the grant program shall submit an application to the office of the executive director in accordance with rules promulgated by the executive director. Subject to the availability of funding, the executive director shall select grant recipients, specifying the amount to be awarded, taking into account the criteria established in rule.
(6) (a) The department of natural resources is authorized to seek, accept, and expend public or private gifts, grants, or donations for the implementation of the grant program; except that the department of natural resources may not accept a gift, grant, or donation for the grant program that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this section or any other law of the state. The department of natural resources shall transmit all private and public moneys received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the Colorado kids outdoors grant program fund, which fund is hereby created. The moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the department of natural resources for the direct and indirect costs associated with implementing this section.
(b) Any moneys in the fund not expended for the purpose of this section may be invested by the state treasurer as provided by law. All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The department of natural resources may expend up to two percent of the moneys annually credited to the fund to offset the costs incurred in implementing the grant program. Any unexpended and unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or another fund.
(7) On or before February 1, 2011, and on or before February 1 each year thereafter in which the executive director awards grants pursuant to the grant program, the executive director shall submit to the agriculture, livestock, and natural resources committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee, the agriculture and natural resources committee of the senate, or any successor committee, and the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, a report summarizing the following information for the preceding fiscal year:
(a) The amount received for implementation of the grant program and the sources of said amount;
(b) The eligible entities that received grants and the amounts awarded to each recipient; and
(c) The activities funded with the grant awards.
Source: L. 2010: Entire section added, (HB 10-1131), ch. 332, p. 1528, � 2, effective May 27. L. 2011: IP(4)(a), (4)(a)(I)(D), and (4)(a)(I)(E) amended, (SB 11-208), ch. 293, p. 1389, � 13, effective July 1. L. 2020: (1)(a) and (4) repealed and (5) amended, (HB 20-1185), ch. 92, p. 366, � 2, effective September 14.
Editor's note: (1) HB 20-1185 repealed subsection (4), effective September 14, 2020, but this repeal did not take effect due to the repeal of subsection (4), effective July 1, 2020.
(2) Subsection (4)(d) provided for the repeal of subsection (4), effective July 1, 2020. (See L. 2010, p. 1528.)
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in the 2010 act adding this section, see section 1 of chapter 332, Session Laws of Colorado 2010. For the legislative declaration in the 2011 act amending the introductory portion to subsection (4)(a) and subsections (4)(a)(I)(D) and (4)(a)(I)(E), see section 1 of chapter 293, Session Laws of Colorado 2011.