Okla. Stat. tit. 27A, § 27A-3-1-103

As used in the Conservation District Act:

1. "District" or "conservation district" means a governmental

subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic,

organized in accordance with the provisions of the Conservation

District Act, for the purposes, with the powers, and subject to the

restrictions hereinafter set forth;

2. "Director" means a member of the governing body of a

conservation district, elected or appointed in accordance with the

provisions of the Conservation District Act;

3. "Commission" means the Oklahoma Conservation Commission;

4. "State" means the State of Oklahoma;

5. "Agency of this state" includes the government of this state

and any subdivision, agency or instrumentality, corporate or

otherwise, of the government of this state;

6. "United States" or "agencies of the United States" includes

the United States of America, and any department, agency or

instrumentality of the federal government;

7. "Government" or "governmental" includes the government of

this state, the government of the United States, and any

subdivision, agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of

either of them;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 27A. Environment and Natural Resources Page 332

8. "Due notice" which shall be in conformance with the

Administrative Procedures Act means notice published at least twice,

with an interval of at least seven (7) days between the two

publication dates, in a newspaper or other publication of general

circulation within the district, or, if no such publication of

general circulation is available, by posting at five conspicuous

places within the district, such posting to include, where possible,

posting at public places where it may be customary to post notices

concerning county or municipal affairs generally. At any hearing

held pursuant to such notice, at the time and place designated in

such notice, adjournment may be made from time to time without the

necessity of renewing such notice for such adjourned dates;

9. "District cooperator" means any person that has entered into

a cooperative agreement with a conservation district for the purpose

of protecting, conserving and practicing wise use of the renewable

natural resources under his or her control;

10. "Renewable natural resources", "natural resources" or

"resources" include land, soil, water, vegetation, trees, natural

beauty, scenery and open space;

11. "Conservation" includes conservation, development,

improvement, maintenance, preservation, protection and wise use of

land, water and related natural resources; the control and

prevention of floodwater and sediment damages; and the disposal of

excess surface waters;

12. "Cost-Share program" means the assumption by the state of a

proportional share of the cost of installing conservation

structures, conservation practices or best management practices on

lands for public and environmental benefits;

13. "Best management practices" means a control method or

combination of control methods that is determined to be the most

effective and practicable means of preventing soil loss from erosion

or reducing the amount of nonpoint source pollution from a given

land use;

14. "Nonpoint source" shall have the same meaning as such word

is defined by the Oklahoma Environmental Quality Act;

15. "Pollution" shall have the same meaning as such word is

defined by the Oklahoma Environmental Quality Act;

16. "Nonpoint source working group" means an advisory group

established by the Conservation Commission to provide input into the

state's nonpoint source management and assessment program and is

open to federal, state and local environmental agencies and natural

resource agencies and other interested groups;

17. "Watershed" means an area of land that drains to a given

point;

18. "Blue Thumb Program" means a nonpoint source educational

program emphasizing water quality education, including volunteer

monitoring;
to the

state's nonpoint source management and assessment program and is

open to federal, state and local environmental agencies and natural

resource agencies and other interested groups;

17. "Watershed" means an area of land that drains to a given

point;

18. "Blue Thumb Program" means a nonpoint source educational

program emphasizing water quality education, including volunteer

monitoring;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 27A. Environment and Natural Resources Page 333

19. "Soil science" means the science which:

a. is the study of physical, chemical, and biological

processes taking place in both naturally occurring and

reconstructed unconsolidated material formed by the

alteration of parent rock due to exposure at the

earth's surface, and

b. includes sampling, measuring, identification,

characterization, classification, and mapping of soil

materials and migration of water solute, air and other

gaseous components in the unsaturated portion of the

earth; and

20. "Soil scientist" means a person who:

a. has earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in a field

of soil science from an institution of higher

education which is accredited by a regional or

national accrediting agency, with a minimum of thirty

(30) semester hours or forty-five (45) quarter hours

of undergraduate work in a field of biological,

physical, or earth science with a minimum of fifteen

(15) semester hours of core soil science courses, and

b. has a specific and continuous record of related and

verifiable soil science work experience for two (2)

years. Publications in a soil science publication or

prior qualifications as an expert witness in

administrative or judicial proceeding, hearing or

trial shall be prima facie verification of experience

related to soil science.