EASEMENTS OR SURFACE LEASES OF GULF LANDS TO UNITED STATES FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE; AUTHORITY OF SCHOOL LAND BOARD.

Sec. 1. The School Land Board, created by House Bill No. 9 of the Forty-sixth Legislature (being Title: Public Lands, Chapter 3, of the General Laws of the Forty-sixth Legislature, 1939,) is hereby authorized to grant and issue easements or surface leases to the United States of America in accordance with the conditions hereinafter set out, on any island, salt water lake, bay, inlet, or marsh within tidewater limits, and that portion of the Gulf of Mexico within the jurisdiction of the State of Texas, to be used exclusively for any purpose essential to the National Defense.

Sec. 2. When the proper authority or agency of the United States of America shall make application to the School Land Board describing the area which is deemed necessary for use in the National Defense said Board shall issue an easement or surface lease to the United States of America granting and conveying to it the free and uninterrupted use of the area described. Provided that before such lease or leases be granted in any county that the Board shall notify the County Judge of said county and shall fix a date for hearing at which time all interested persons may be heard in protest or otherwise. Such easement or surface lease shall be effective only so long as the area is used for the purpose of National Defense, and it shall cease and terminate and the State of Texas shall be revested with full title and possession of the area when same is no longer used for such purpose.

Sec. 3. The easements or surface leases granted hereunder shall be upon the express condition that the State of Texas shall retain all of the oil, gas, and other mineral rights in and under the area affected. The consideration to be paid for the use of said areas shall be agreed upon by the School Land Board and the United States of America and it shall be payable to the State of Texas on an annual basis.

Sec. 4. All leases for grazing purposes heretofore issued by the Commissioner of the General Land Office which are covered or partially covered by any easement or surface lease granted hereunder are hereby made subordinate to such easement or surface lease. If the lessee under any existing oil and gas lease heretofore granted by the State on any area affected by an easement or surface lease granted hereunder, shall file or cause to be filed in the General Land Office an agreement, subordinating to the easement or surface lease granted hereunder all rights held by such lessee under such oil and gas lease, then and in that event the running of both the primary and principal terms of such lease shall be suspended during the existence of such easement or lease; provided, however, that lessee continues the annual rental payment stipulated in the lease during such suspended period. Such oil and gas lease shall remain in status quo, and all obligations, duties, rights and privileges existing under such lease shall be inoperative and of no force and effect until the expiration of said easement or surface lease, at which time said oil and gas lease shall again become operative and all of the obligations, duties, rights and privileges, including the payment of rentals under same, shall again attach and be in force as they were on the date of the suspension and continue for the unexpired term of such lease. The School Land Board shall give notice immediately to such lessees that their leases are again in force when said easement or surface lease has terminated; provided, however, that the annual rental payments have been met.

Sec. 5. All areas on which there now exists oil, gas, or other mineral production are specifically excluded from the terms of this Act.