Subd. 1. Establishment.

The Board of Water and Soil Resources shall establish a beaver damage control grant program to provide grants for the control of beaver activities causing damage to public waters, roads, and ditches and adjacent private property. The grants may be made to:

1. (1) a joint powers board established under section 471.59 by two or more governmental units;
2. (2) soil and water conservation districts; and
3. (3) Indian tribal governments.

Subd. 2. Grant amount.

The board may provide up to 50 percent of the costs of implementing a beaver damage control program by a joint powers board.

Subd. 3. Awarding grants.

Applications for grants must be made to the board on forms prescribed by the board. The board shall consult with town supervisors and county commissioners representing different areas of the state in developing the application form. A joint powers board seeking a grant may be required to supply information on the beaver control program it has adopted, the extent of the problem in the geographic area covered by the joint powers agreement, and the ability of the joint powers board to match the state grant. The board may prioritize the grant applications based upon the information requested as part of the grant application.

Subd. 4. Report.

1. (a) Within one year after receiving a grant under this section, a joint powers board must report to the Board of Water and Soil Resources on the joint powers board's efforts to control beaver in the area.
2. (b) By December 15 of each even-numbered year, the board shall report to the senate and house of representatives environment and natural resources policy and finance committees on the efforts under this section to control beaver.