[Amended 10-21-2014 by L.L. No. 5-2014]
There shall be an Ulster County Environmental Management Council comprised of one member from each city, town and village environmental council and commission within the County, nominated by the governing body of that city, town or village and appointed by the County Executive with the confirmation of the Legislature for a term of three years, and up to an equal number of at-large appointees appointed by the County Executive with the confirmation of the Legislature for a term of three years, and the County Director of Planning, serving ex officio. The presiding officer of the Environmental Management Council shall be chosen annually by its members from among their members but shall not be an employee of the County of Ulster. Members of the Ulster County Environmental Management Council shall receive no compensation for services rendered but shall be entitled to their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, within appropriations made for such purposes.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the Ulster County Environmental Management Council shall:
A. 
Advise the County Executive and the County Legislature on all matters affecting the preservation, conservation and ecologically suitable use of the natural resources of the County;
B. 
Review the condition of the County environment as a whole and prepare and submit an annual report of its findings to the County Executive and the County Legislature, which report shall also include an account of the Council's activities and accomplishments based on accurate records of its meetings and other works;
C. 
In cooperation with the County Planning Agency and other appropriate agencies, prepare a plan for the protection of the County's environment and the management of its natural resources. To the extent practicable, the preparation, content and subsequent revision, if any, of the County environmental plan shall be coordinated with the state environmental plan and a copy of this County plan and any subsequent revisions of it shall be filed with the State Commissioner of Environmental Conservation;
D. 
Investigate and recommend to the County governing body ecologically sound methods for use of the County's resources; and
E. 
Cooperate with and assist such other governmental or nongovernmental boards or organizations on the preparation of plans or reports or review of proposals or applications as the County may direct.