1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; modifying provisions 
  1.3             relating to permits for aquatic plants; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 103G.615, subdivision 
  1.5             3; Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.6             103G.615, subdivision 2.  
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.9   103G.615, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [FEES.] (a) The commissioner shall establish a 
  1.11  fee schedule for permits to harvest aquatic plants other than 
  1.12  wild rice, by order, after holding a public hearing.  The fees 
  1.13  may not exceed $750 per permit based upon the cost of receiving, 
  1.14  processing, analyzing, and issuing the permit, and additional 
  1.15  costs incurred after the application to inspect and monitor the 
  1.16  activities authorized by the permit, and enforce aquatic plant 
  1.17  management rules and permit requirements. 
  1.18     (b) The fee for a permit for the destruction of rooted 
  1.19  aquatic vegetation is $35 for each contiguous parcel of 
  1.20  shoreline owned by an owner.  The commissioner must issue or 
  1.21  deny a permit request within ten business days of receipt.  This 
  1.22  fee may not be charged for permits issued in connection with 
  1.23  lakewide Eurasian water milfoil or other exotic aquatic control 
  1.24  programs, and these permits are not subject to the littoral 
  1.25  limitations in subdivision 3, paragraph (b). 
  1.26     (c) A fee may not be charged to the state or a federal 
  2.1   governmental agency applying for a permit. 
  2.2      (d) The money received for the permits under this 
  2.3   subdivision shall be deposited in the treasury and credited to 
  2.4   the game and fish fund.  
  2.5      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 103G.615, 
  2.6   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.7      Subd. 3.  [PERMIT STANDARDS.] (a) The commissioner shall, 
  2.8   by rule, prescribe standards to issue and deny permits under 
  2.9   this section.  The standards must ensure that aquatic plant 
  2.10  control is consistent with shoreland conservation ordinances, 
  2.11  lake management plans and programs, and wild and scenic river 
  2.12  plans.  
  2.13     (b) On all public waters, a permit request for the control 
  2.14  of submerged vegetation for up to 100 feet of shoreline per 
  2.15  individual riparian property owner must be granted.  Permit 
  2.16  requests must be granted for up to 15 percent of a total water 
  2.17  basin's littoral area.  Aggregate requests in excess of the 15 
  2.18  percent limitation may be granted, but must exceed 50 percent of 
  2.19  the littoral area of the water basin.