(1) The department of local affairs is hereby designated as the state clearinghouse for the state in accordance with circular number A-95. The executive director of the department of local affairs shall employ, within the appropriation as set forth by the general assembly, pursuant to the provisions of section 13 of article XII of the state constitution, such officers and employees as he deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this part 12.
(a) The state clearinghouse shall perform the functions described for state clearinghouses in circular number A-95. The state clearinghouse is a central information center and shall not be a policy-making or planning agency.
Every state agency whose area of responsibility may be affected by a proposed project involving federal assistance shall cooperate with the state clearinghouse in the project notification and review system as provided in circular number A-95.
Comments made by the state clearinghouse and affected state agencies on applications for federal assistance under the project notification and review system described in circular number A-95 shall be limited to the subject matter items listed in section 5 of part I of attachment A of circular number A-95.
In the absence of any provision of law authorizing centralized state-wide comprehensive planning, including land use or growth policies, any reference in circular number A-95 to state comprehensive plans or planning, state priorities or objectives, or the equivalent shall be construed by the state clearinghouse and affected state agencies to refer to the aggregate of local and regional plans and policies established pursuant to statute and the policies, purposes, and objectives expressed in the laws of the state.
Source: L. 81: Entire part added, p. 1172, § 1, effective July 1.