In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Confidential information" means any data collected about a landowner, species or property location from a private landowner or property owner by a state agency or municipal agency or an entity acting on the agency’s behalf.

2. "Conservation plan" means a species conservation plan that promotes compliance with federal law protecting endangered species, species proposed for listing and candidate species in a manner consistent with this state’s economic development and fiscal stability, including candidate conservation agreements, candidate conservation agreements with assurances and habitat conservation plans.

3. "Endangered species" means any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is listed as endangered pursuant to the endangered species act.

4. "Endangered Species Act" means the endangered species act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205; 87 Stat. 884; 16 United States Code §§ 1531 through 1544).

5. "Property owner" means a person with a fee simple, leasehold or other property interest, including owners of water or other natural resources, or any other entity that may have a property interest, sufficient to carry out species research or management activities, subject to applicable state law, on nonfederal land.

6. "Research" means scientifically valid data that is collected on a species that is already protected under the endangered species act or potentially subject to federal protection under the endangered species act.

7. "Species" includes any species or subspecies of fish, wildlife or plants and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife that interbreeds when mature.

8. "State agency" means any state agency, authority or body that is established and authorized by the legislature.