[§167-15]  State lands, formation ofirrigation project.  The board of agriculture may organize irrigationprojects for lands under its control, whether or not the lands are occupied inwhole or in part.  If the lands for which the proposed project is to beorganized are not occupied or are occupied by persons whose rights to occupancywill expire before the project water will be supplied to the lands, no noticeneed be published nor public hearing held as in section 167-16 required.  Thecosts of construction of the project, shall be paid by the board, in the eventand to the extent that the development and opening of the lands does not enablethe making of acreage assessments sufficient to repay construction costs, fromany funds in the state treasury derived from the lease or license of publiclands or waters, which funds are hereby made available for such purposes. [L1987, c 306, pt of §1]