§ 1008. Consent of state. The state of New York hereby consents to the occupation and use by the authority of any and all property of the state of whatever kind or character on the Niagara river or within the international rapids section of the Saint Lawrence river, and hereby vests the authority with and delegates to it the right to exercise any and every right and power of the state in connection therewith, whether proprietary or sovereign in character, which the state itself might exercise, provided that such consent and delegation of power shall not permit the impairment or limit or prevent the future improvement of the navigability of the Niagara river or the international rapids section of the Saint Lawrence river, consistent with the maintenance of such projects, but on the contrary the projects shall be such as will improve and benefit commerce and navigation therein and provided further that the authority shall have no power to limit, waive or surrender any right or interest of the state of New York in such rivers or the use thereof.