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84.154 LAC QUI PARLE WATER CONTROL PROJECT.
    Subdivision 1. Conservation project. The commissioner is hereby authorized, with the
approval of the Executive Council, and on such terms as may be deemed advantageous to the
state, to sell and convey to the United States the fee title, free from any mineral reservation, of
lands acquired by the state for the Lac qui Parle River water control project upon which dams
and appurtenant structures have been or may be constructed and such rights-of-way as may
be required by the United States to provide access thereto for the purposes of construction,
maintenance and operation, and to grant, sell and convey either such fee title to, or flowage rights
over, all lands acquired for the project on and above Lac qui Parle Lake which lie below the 935.7
foot elevation on project datum, and to grant, sell and convey flowage rights only over all lands so
acquired on or above Marsh Lake which lie below the 939.5 foot elevation on project datum and
over all of such lands on and above either of these lakes which lie above such elevations, and to
lease to any appropriate agency of the United States for conservation purposes, subject to such
flowage rights, any of such lands the ownership of which is retained by the state, or to enter into a
cooperative agreement with any such agency for the development and management of any wild
life or other conservation activity thereon; provided, that no such conveyance or agreement shall
waive any claim of the state for reimbursement from the United States under the Flood Control
Act of June 28, 1938, and any amendments thereof. Each such lease for conservation purposes
and each such cooperative agreement for the development and management of wild life or other
conservation activity on such lands shall contain specific conditions reserving to the public during
all open seasons for hunting wild waterfowl at least 40 percent of the area of these lands suitable
for hunting waterfowl as public shooting grounds.
    Subd. 2. Commissioner may complete Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Lake projects.
Inasmuch as the cessation of the work relief program of the federal government and the entry
of the United States into the present war prevented completion of certain contemplated features
of the Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Lake water control projects heretofore undertaken by the
Executive Council, in cooperation with federal agencies, and it is desirable that such projects
be completed in order to secure effective control and utilization of the waters affected for the
purposes of prevention and control of floods, water conservation, improvement of conditions
for game and fish, and other authorized public uses, the commissioner of natural resources is
authorized to construct all works and improvements pertaining or incidental to said projects which
the commissioner deems necessary for such purposes, and to maintain and operate the same so far
as not transferred to the United States pursuant to law.
    Subd. 3. Powers of commissioner. The commissioner of natural resources may use for any
project herein authorized any land of the state under the commissioner's jurisdiction or control
so far as is not inconsistent with the laws governing the same, may acquire by purchase, gift, or
condemnation any additional lands or interests in lands required for such projects, including
lands or interests in adjacent states if authorized by the laws thereof, may accept gifts or grants
of money or property from the United States or any other source for such projects, may use and
apply any money or property so received in accordance with the terms of the gift or grant so far
as is not inconsistent with the provisions of this section or other laws, may act in behalf of the
state as sponsor for any such project undertaken or authorized by the United States, may make
any sponsor's contributions required for any such project out of money appropriated by Laws
1943, chapter 476, or otherwise made available therefor, and may cooperate with the United
States or any adjacent state or any authorized agency of either in constructing, maintaining and
operating any such project upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner may deem proper
not inconsistent with the laws of this state.
    Subd. 4. May sell or lease land. The commissioner of natural resources may, in behalf of the
state, with the approval of the governor, sell or lease to the United States any part of the lands or
interests in lands heretofore or hereafter acquired by the state for the purposes of such projects,
with any structures or improvements thereon, upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner
may deem proper, providing for the continued maintenance and operation of such projects for
the purposes herein specified; provided that the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to
repeal or supersede the provisions of Laws 1941, chapters 142 and 518, with respect to lands or
interests heretofore acquired, so far as applicable thereto; provided, that the governor shall not
approve any such sale or lease without first consulting the Legislative Advisory Commission and
securing their recommendation, which shall be advisory only. Failure or refusal of the commission
to make a recommendation promptly shall be deemed a negative recommendation.
    Subd. 5. Special funds created. (1) There is hereby created a special fund to be known as
the Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Lake water control projects fund, in which shall be placed all
moneys heretofore or hereafter received for any lands or other property acquired by the state for
the Lac qui Parle water control project and heretofore or hereafter sold or leased to the United
States pursuant to Laws 1941, chapter 518, or otherwise, also all money heretofore or hereafter
received from any source for the sale or lease under any other law of any lands or other property
acquired by the state for either the Lac qui Parle or Big Stone Lake water control project, except
as otherwise provided in clause (2).
(2) All moneys in excess of $2,500 remaining June 30, 1943, and at the end of each fiscal
year thereafter in the Lac qui Parle revolving fund designated by Laws 1941, chapter 142, shall
be transferred to said projects fund. When all the property authorized to be sold under said
chapter has been sold and the proceeds have been received the Executive Council shall notify the
commissioner of finance thereof. Thereupon the balance remaining in said revolving fund shall be
transferred to said projects fund and said revolving fund shall be abolished.
(3) All moneys in said projects fund are hereby appropriated to the commissioner of
conservation for the purposes of Laws 1943, chapter 476, to remain available therefor until
expended hereunder or otherwise expressly disposed of by law; provided, that all expenditures
hereunder shall be subject to the approval of the governor; provided, that the governor shall not
approve any such expenditure without first consulting the Legislative Advisory Commission and
securing their recommendation, which shall be advisory only. Failure or refusal of the commission
to make a recommendation promptly shall be deemed a negative recommendation.
    Subd. 6. Transfer to commissioner. (1) The supervision and control of the Lac qui Parle
project lands, which is now vested in the Executive Council by Laws 1925, chapter 426; Laws
1933, chapter 355; Extra Session Laws 1933, chapter 25; Laws 1935, chapter 51; Extra Session
Laws 1935, chapter 101; Laws 1937, chapters 209 and 459; Extra Session Laws 1937, chapter 89;
Laws 1941, chapters 142 and 518; Laws 1943, chapter 476; Laws 1945, chapter 325; Laws 1947,
chapter 571; and Minnesota Statutes, section 84.154, are hereby transferred to the commissioner
of natural resources.
(2) These lands, which consist of 22,000 acres, more or less, located in the north and east
edge of Lac qui Parle County and portions of the south and west edges of Chippewa, Swift and
Big Stone Counties, shall be used and developed as a game refuge and public hunting grounds
as the commissioner of natural resources may designate and shall include all state-owned lands
acquired pursuant to the provisions of law above stated.
(3) The power of eminent domain will not be exercised in the case of the acquisition of
additional lands to this game refuge and public hunting ground.
History: 1941 c 518 s 1; 1943 c 476 s 1; 1957 c 755 s 1-3; 1969 c 1129 art 10 s 2; 1973 c
492 s 14; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1986 c 444; 2006 c 214 s 20

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes