Section 12-5-32. Aid to pollution control and surface-water management -- Powers of division with respect to federal acts; receipt and expenditure of federal and state appropriations

   The division shall be the water pollution control and surface-water resource management agency of the state for all purposes of any federal water pollution control act or any other federal act within the purview of this article and may:

   (1) Take all necessary or appropriate action to obtain for the state the benefits of any federal act within the purview of this article;

   (2) Apply for, receive, and use federal funds made available under any federal act within the purview of this article;

   (3) Approve projects for which loans or grants under any federal act are made to any municipality, county, or agency of state government or to any private person or entity;

   (4) Participate through its authorized representatives in proceedings under any federal act within the purview of this article and recommend measures for the reduction of water pollution originating within the state or proper management of the state's surface-water resources; and

   (5) Receive and expend on behalf of the state all funds which are now or which may hereafter become available or allotted to the State of Georgia by virtue of any appropriation or act of Congress or regulation of the federal government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or by virtue of any appropriation by the General Assembly, for water quality control, management, and allocation of the state's surface-water resources within the purview of this article, or for any other purpose defined in this article to be administered by the division as provided in this article. The division is authorized to use so much of funds as may be appropriated by the General Assembly for the purpose of matching federal grants as may be necessary to secure such grants and derive full advantage to the state of benefits contemplated under the terms of such grants, and to comply with the terms of such grants.

This Code section shall not prohibit the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission from exercising its powers under paragraph (9) of Code Section 2-6-27.

Ga. L. 1964, p. 416, § 23; Ga. L. 1977, p. 368, § 4; Ga. L. 1978, p. 2245, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 644, § 1-3/SB 342.