§98.3. Powers of the Department of Conservation and Energy

            A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in carrying out the provisions of this Part, the Department of Conservation and Energy is exclusively empowered to do the following:

            (1) Prepare required forms and establish other procedures to govern the submission of applications, reports, and other information authorized to be sent to the office as required by this Part.

            (2) Upon presenting valid identification as an inspector for the department, enter upon and be given access at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions to any premises for the purposes of inspecting water wells or surface water withdrawals under the jurisdiction of the department.

            B. If the office finds that compliance with all the requirements of this Part would result in undue hardship, an exemption from any one or more of such requirements may be granted by the office to the extent necessary to ameliorate such undue hardship and to the extent such exemption can be granted without impairing the intent and purpose of this Part.

            Acts 2025, No. 458, §1, eff. Oct. 1, 2025.