The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill (SF 550) appropriates revenues from the Minnesota Lottery dedicated to protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance Minnesota’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund typically funds projects recommended by the Legislative Citizens Commission on Natural Resources (LCCMR). This year, the bill funds numerous parks and trails projects, including:
- $1,500,000 for state park land acquisition
- $1,038,000 for state trail acquisition and development
- $672,000 for pollinator habitat in state parks
- $2,269,000 for continued development of the Mesabi Regional Trail
- $950,000 for a new Voyageurs National Park visitor center in Crane Lake
- $293,000 for a study on wolves in Voyageurs National Park
Up until the last day of session, it was unclear if the LCCMR-recommended park and trail projects would be funded. Earlier drafts of the legislation controversially removed some recommended projects, and included “no net gain”language that would have made the already difficult task of acquiring land for parks and trails even more difficult. In the end, the LCCMR-recommended projects were funded and the “no net gain” language was removed. We are thankful lawmakers reached a compromise that continues the Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund’s long tradition of supporting Minnesota’s parks and trails.
Bill Numbers: SF550
House Authors: Heintzeman; Ecklund; Lueck
Senate Authors: Westrom; Dahms; Dziedzic; Tomassoni; Hoffman
Status: Passed by the House (84-49) and Senate (51-10) and signed by Gov. Dayton