Subd. 1. Authorization.

1. (a) The commissioner may issue permits, with or without a fee, to:

   1. (1) gather or harvest aquatic plants, or plant parts, other than wild rice from public waters;
   2. (2) transplant aquatic plants into public waters;
   3. (3) destroy harmful or undesirable aquatic vegetation or organisms in public waters under prescribed conditions to protect the waters, desirable species of fish, vegetation, other forms of aquatic life, and the public.
2. (b) Application for a permit must be accompanied by a permit fee, if required.

Subd. 2. Fees.

1. (a) The commissioner shall establish a fee schedule for permits to harvest aquatic plants other than wild rice, by order, after holding a public hearing. The fees may not exceed $200 per permit based upon the cost of receiving, processing, analyzing, and issuing the permit, and additional costs incurred after the application to inspect and monitor the activities authorized by the permit.
2. (b) The fee for a permit for chemical treatment of rooted aquatic vegetation may not exceed $20 for each contiguous parcel of shoreline owned by an owner. This fee may not be charged for permits issued in connection with lakewide Eurasian water milfoil control programs.
3. (c) A fee may not be charged to the state or a federal governmental agency applying for a permit.
4. (d) The money received for the permits under this subdivision shall be deposited in the treasury and credited to the game and fish fund.

Subd. 3. Permit standards.

The commissioner shall, by rule, prescribe standards to issue and deny permits under this section. The standards must ensure that aquatic plant control is consistent with shoreland conservation ordinances, lake management plans and programs, and wild and scenic river plans.