Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 77. STATE LANDS

CHAPTER 1. ADMINISTRATION OF STATE LANDS

Part 8. Recreational Use of State Lands

Agreement For General Recreational Use On Legally Accessible State Trust Land

77-1-815. (Temporary) Agreement for general recreational use on legally accessible state trust land. (1) The board is authorized to enter into an agreement with the department of fish, wildlife, and parks to compensate state trust land beneficiaries for the use and impacts associated with general recreational uses as defined in 77-1-101 on legally accessible state trust land as defined in 77-1-101. The department may impose restrictions it considers necessary to coordinate the uses of state trust land or to preserve the purposes of the various trust lands. General recreational uses as defined in 77-1-101 on state trust land must be conducted in accordance with rules and provisions provided in this part.

(2) An agreement may be entered into with the department of fish, wildlife, and parks for a term of up to 10 years. Through this agreement, the board shall recover for the beneficiaries of the trust the full market value for the use and impacts associated with general recreational use on trust land, as defined in 77-1-101 The department may use funds appropriated from the trust land administration account provided for in 77-1-108 to implement and manage the agreement. Except as provided for in 17-7-304, any unexpended amount in the account that resulted from recreational use fees must be apportioned on a pro rata basis to the land trusts, in proportion to the respective trust's percentage of acreage in the total acreage of all state land trusts.

(3) Any agreement entered into is subject to the following conditions:

(a) The department maintains sole discretion, throughout the term of the agreement, with regard to identifying legally accessible parcels, coordinating uses on state trust land, and making any other necessary state trust land management decisions.

(b) An agreement between the department and the department of fish, wildlife, and parks may not convey any additional authority to the department of fish, wildlife, and parks. (Void on occurrence of contingency--sec. 8, Ch. 596, L. 2003.)

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 596, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 465, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 507, L. 2023.