2011 Minnesota Statutes

97B.667 REMOVAL OF BEAVERS, BEAVER DAMS, AND LODGES BY ROAD AUTHORITIES.

When a drainage watercourse is impaired by a beaver dam and the water damages or threatens to damage a public road, the road authority, as defined in section 160.02, subdivision 25, may remove the impairment and any associated beaver lodge within 300 feet of the road. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the road authority may kill or arrange to have killed by any lawful means a beaver associated with the lodge. Before killing or arranging to kill a beaver under this section, the road authority must contact a conservation officer for a special beaver permit. The conservation officer must issue the permit for any beaver subject to this section. A road authority that kills or arranges to have killed a beaver under this section must notify a conservation officer or the officer's designee as specified in the permit within ten days after the animal is killed. A road authority may, after consultation with the Wildlife Division and the Board of Water and Soil Resources, implement a local beaver control program designed to reduce the number of incidents of beaver interfering with or damaging a public road. The local control program may include the offering of a bounty for the lawful taking of beaver.

History:

1994 c 623 art 1 s 33; 1997 c 216 s 84; 1Sp2011 c 2 art 5 s 52