Sec 37-132. Powers and duties

A. The commissioner shall:

1. Exercise and perform all powers and duties vested in or imposed upon the department, and prescribe such rules as are necessary to discharge those duties.

2. Exercise the powers of surveyor-general except for the powers of the surveyor-general exercised by the treasurer as a member of the selection board pursuant to section 37-202.

3. Make long-range plans for the future use of state lands in cooperation with other state agencies, local planning authorities and political subdivisions.

4. Promote the infill and orderly development of state lands in areas beneficial to the trust and prevent urban sprawl or leapfrog development on state lands.

5. Classify and appraise all state lands, together with the improvements on state lands, for the purpose of sale, lease or grant of rights-of-way. The commissioner may impose such conditions and covenants and make such reservations in the sale of state lands as the commissioner deems to be in the best interest of the state trust. The provisions of this paragraph are subject to hearing procedures pursuant to title 41, chapter 6, article 10 and, except as provided in section 41-1092.08, subsection H, are subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

6. Have authority to lease for grazing, agricultural, homesite or other purposes, except commercial, all land owned or held in trust by the state.

7. Have authority to lease for commercial purposes and sell all land owned or held in trust by the state, but any such lease for commercial purposes or any such sale shall first be approved by the board of appeals.

8. Except as otherwise provided, determine all disputes, grievances or other questions pertaining to the administration of state lands.

9. Appoint deputies and other assistants and employees necessary to perform the duties of the department and assign their duties subject to title 41, chapter 4, article 4 and require of them such surety bonds as the commissioner deems proper. The compensation of the deputy, assistants or employees shall be as determined pursuant to section 38-611.

10. Make a written report to the governor annually, not later than September 1, disclosing in detail the activities of the department for the preceding fiscal year, and publish it for distribution. The report shall include an evaluation of auctions of state land leases held during the preceding fiscal year considering the advantages and disadvantages to the state trust of the existence and exercise of preferred rights to lease reclassified state land.

11. Withdraw state land from surface or subsurface sales or lease applications if the commissioner deems it to be in the best interest of the trust. This closure of state lands to new applications for sale or lease does not affect the rights that existing lessees have under law for renewal of their leases and reimbursement for improvements.

B. The commissioner may:

1. Take evidence relating to, and may require of the various county officers information on, any matter that the commissioner has the power to investigate or determine.

2. Under such rules as the commissioner adopts, use private real estate brokers to assist in any sale or long-term lease of state land and pay, from fees collected under section 37-107, subsection B, paragraph 1, a commission to a broker that is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 20 and that provides the purchaser or lessee at auction. The purchaser or lessee at auction is not eligible to receive a commission pursuant to this subsection. A commission shall not be paid on a sale or a long-term lease if the purchaser or lessee is a political subdivision of this state.

3. Require a permittee, lessee or grantee to post a surety bond or any form of collateral deemed sufficient by the commissioner for performance or restoration purposes. The commissioner shall use the proceeds of a bond or collateral only for the purposes determined at the time the bond or collateral is posted. For agricultural lessees, the commissioner may require collateral as follows:

(a) As security for payment of the annual assessments levied by the irrigation district in which the state land is located if the lessee has a history of late payments or defaults. The amount of the collateral required shall not exceed the annual assessment levied by the irrigation district.

(b) As security for payment of rent, if an extension of time for payment is requested or if the lessee has a history of late payments of rent. The collateral shall be submitted at the time any extension of time for payment is requested. The amount of the collateral required shall not exceed the annual amount of rent for the land.

(c) A surety bond shall be required only if the commissioner determines that other forms of collateral are insufficient.

4. Withhold market and economic analyses, preliminary engineering, site and area studies and appraisals that are collected during the urban planning process from public viewing before they are submitted to local planning and zoning authorities.

5. Withhold from public inspection proprietary information received during lease negotiations. The proprietary information shall be released to public inspection unless the release may harm the competitive position of the applicant and the information could not have been obtained by other legitimate means.

6. Issue permits for short-term use of state land for specific purposes as prescribed by rule.

7. Contract with a third party to sell recreational permits. A third party under contract pursuant to this paragraph may assess a surcharge for its services as provided in the contract, in addition to the fees prescribed pursuant to section 37-107.

8. Close urban lands to specific uses as prescribed by rule if necessary for dust abatement, to reduce a risk from hazardous environmental conditions that pose a risk to human health or safety or for remediation purposes.

9. Notwithstanding subsection A, paragraph 4 of this section, authorize, in the best interest of the trust, the extension of public services and facilities either:

(a) That are necessary to implement plans of the local governing body, including plans adopted or amended pursuant to section 9-461.06 or 11-805.

(b) Across state lands that are either:

(i) Classified as suitable for conservation pursuant to section 37-312.

(ii) Sold or leased at auction for conservation purposes.

C. The commissioner or any deputy or employee of the department shall not have, own or acquire, directly or indirectly, any state lands or the products on any state lands, any interest in or to such lands or products, or improvements on leased state lands, or be interested in any state irrigation project affecting state lands.