ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 1413

19. Immediately after the approval of the application by
the Board of Public Works of Maryland, the Conservation
Commissioner shall execute and deliver to the applicant an ex-
clusive permit or lease to dredge for or otherwise recover rare
earths and minerals from the lands approved in the applica-
tion. This permit or lease shall be exclusive in its nature and
while it remains in force no other permit or lease shall be
granted covering the same land. The permit or lease shall run
for not more than five years unless approved by the General
Assembly of Maryland; provided, that, upon the expiration of
any permit or lease, such permit or lease may be extended from
time to time at the discretion of the Conservation Commission-
er, with the approval of the Board of Public Works until the
next session of the General Assembly of Maryland, upon such
terms and condition's as may then be prescribed by law. Any
person, firm, association or corporation who has been granted a
permit or lease shall pay a rental of $5. 00 per acre in advance
for a five year permit or lease and such sum as royalty per gross
ton for the ensuing year as may be fixed by the Conservation
Commissioner, with the approval of the Board of Public Works,
at the time the permit or lease is issued and shall be subject to
yearly changes, in the discretion of the Conservation Commis-
sioner, with the approval of the Board of Public Works; pro-
vided, that at the same time the yearly statement is rendered,
in accordance with the provision therefor in Section 14 of this
Article, the Conservation Commissioner, with the approval of
the Board of Public Works, shall yearly fix the royalty per gross
ton for the ensuing calendar year.

20. The Conservation Commissioner, with the approval of
the Board of Public Works is hereby authorized to prepare,
make, execute and deliver all papers, instruments and docu-
ments and to do any and all things necessary to carry out the

provisions of this sub-title.

21. The Legislature shall have the right to change from
time to time the royalty per ton of minerals or rare earths, and
such change shall apply to all persons, firms, associations or
corporations holding permits or leases hereunder. Nothing in
this sub-title shall be held to invalidate or curtail in any way
the rights of riparian owners as set forth in Section 480 of
Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1924 Edi-
tion), or any other Act or Acts protecting the rights of riparian
owners, or apply to the taking of sand or gravel.