§ 22-5-803 - Leases and permits -- Penalties. - Arkansas Statutes

22-5-803. Leases and permits -- Penalties.

(a) (1) If any person, firm, company, corporation, or association shall remove any sand, gravel, oil, natural gas, casinghead gas, coal or other minerals, or any timber or logs from the beds or bars of navigable rivers and lakes in this state or from any other lands or interest in lands held in the name of the State of Arkansas without first obtaining a lease or permit to do so from the Commissioner of State Lands, that person, firm, company, or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than three hundred dollars ($300) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).

(2) Each day of unauthorized taking shall constitute a separate offense.

(b) In addition to the fine mentioned in subsection (a) of this section, the State of Arkansas may bring suit in the name of the state to recover the value of the sand, gravel, oil, natural gas, casinghead gas, coal or other minerals, or timber or logs which have been illegally removed, as well as all severance taxes and royalties due as a result of the removal.