Any person desiring to obtain a lease for mineral prospecting purposes upon any lands in which the mineral rights are owned or administered by the department, shall file in the proper office of the department an application or applications therefor, upon the prescribed form, together with application fees. The department may reject an application for a mineral prospecting lease when the department determines rejection to be in the best interests of the state, and in such case shall inform the applicant of the reason for rejection and refund the application fee. The department may also reject the application and declare the application fee forfeited should the applicant fail to execute the lease.

Intent—2003 c 334: See note following RCW 79.02.010.