(a) The commissioner may select areas of state land classified as agricultural and contract for the land to be cleared or drained or both at state expense. In this selection and contracting, the commissioner shall be guided by the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
(b) The land that is cleared or drained under (a) of this section shall be put up for competitive lease in lots of not less than 320 acres each. Lease payments shall be separately accounted for and may be appropriated to the agricultural revolving loan fund (AS 03.10.040).