Sec. 18. The department shall coordinate with the department of natural resources and other state agencies to simplify the state permitting process with respect to the flood control activities of the Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development commission under IC 14-13-9. The department and other agencies shall assist each other in:
(1) reducing the number of applications and other interactions required to obtain necessary permits; and
(2) avoiding imposing conflicting requirements upon the commission in issuing permits to the commission.