(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall be responsible for state-wide river policy and comprehensive protection of rivers. The commissioner shall: (1) Identify rivers or river segments to be protected, (2) designate protected river corridors, and (3) approve, reject or modify river corridor maps and management plans submitted pursuant to sections 25-205 and 25-235.

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(b) The commissioner may establish a river management and protection program designed to improve the management and protection of the state’s rivers.

(c) In developing the river protection program, the commissioner may: (1) Develop a proposal for a state-wide river management and protection program that includes, but is not limited to: (A) The coordination of existing protective state authorities as a means of improving river management and protection; (B) the development of any statutory modifications to provide effective regional and interstate cooperation for the development of river management plans; (C) the development of recommendations for river protection for use in regulations of local land use agencies; and (D) the development of any other needed protection or management of the state’s rivers, as determined by the commissioner; (2) define the river resources to be inventoried and assessed; (3) conduct a state-wide inventory and assessment of the state’s rivers; (4) develop a state-wide data base of river resource information to facilitate environmental planning, regulatory and management decisions; (5) develop a river classification system; (6) develop criteria for identifying rivers or river segments for designation as protected rivers and recommended priorities for the management of the rivers or river segments; and (7) develop a program to educate the public on river protection issues and ensure public involvement in the development and implementation of the river protection program.