Section 817.25 - Powers and duties of department The department shall have the power and duty to implement and enforce the compact and to carry out the functions, powers and duties contained in the compact which are assigned to Pennsylvania as a party to the compact, consistent with regulations adopted by the Environmental Quality Board and the provisions of this act. The department shall have the power and duty to:
(1) Administer and implement the programs for water resources inventory, registration and reporting required under section 4.1 of the compact, through the water use registration and reporting program and regulations established pursuant to 27 Pa.C.S. § 3118 (relating to water use registration and reporting) and section 6 of this act.(2) Administer and implement within the basin a water conservation and efficiency program required under section 4.2 of the compact. Such program shall be a voluntary program, utilizing the provisions of 27 Pa.C.S. § 3120 (relating to water conservation).(3) Review and act upon proposals for new or increased water withdrawals, consumptive uses or diversions and, if approved, specify reasonable terms and conditions thereof. In assessing the impacts of a withdrawal or consumptive use proposal under the decision-making standard in section 4.11(2) of the compact, the department shall consider the impacts to the waters and water-dependent natural resources of the basin as a whole and the applicable source watershed to be either the watershed of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario, as a whole, whichever is the watershed from which water is proposed to be withdrawn.(4) Conduct inspections and enforce the provisions of the compact and this act.2008, July 4, P.L. 526, No. 43, § 5, imd. effective.