Update July 22: Hunting Magazine has the press release from the LCCMR in LCCMR agrees on $79 million to benefit Minnesota’s Environment. Some highlights:
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) is pleased to announce it has agreed to recommend funding for 101 projects totaling $79,644,000 to the Minnesota Legislature.
The agreement is the result of a competitive, multi-stage process for recommending spending from the Minnesota Lottery-supported Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF).
The LCCMR’s 2024 ENRTF Request for Proposal (RFP) sought proposals that address several priority issue areas, including water resources, invasive species, renewable energy, natural resource management, habitat protection and restoration, outdoor recreation, and environmental education. The 101 projects recommended for funding seek to address both ongoing and emergent challenges across the state.
Some highlights include recommended funds for:
• Modeling to better predict and manage cycles of flooding and drought throughout Minnesota.
• Fundamental research to more thoroughly document the life cycle of Minnesota’s elk population.
• Investigating the use of microbes and enzymes to break down PFAS (forever chemicals) in contaminated areas.
• Planning and developing a long-distance hiking trail through southeastern Minnesota’s Driftless Region.
• Improving and expanding Minnesota’s state parks, trails, and scientific and natural areas (SNAs).
• Continued research into fighting invasive species undertaken by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests
Center.
• Several outdoor and environmental education initiatives that serve a wide diversity of Minnesota’s youth.The LCCMR received 218 proposals requesting a total of approximately $174 million. After evaluating the proposals and hearing presentations from proposers, the LCCMR voted to recommend full or partial funding to 101 proposals. These recommendations will be finalized by LCCMR in bill form later this winter and presented to the 2024 Legislature for consideration during the legislative session beginning February 12, 2024. Approved projects would begin work after funds become available on July 1, 2024 For more information, visit the 2024 Proposal and Funding Process page on the LCCMR website. [End update]
On a 11-4-2 supermajority vote Thursday, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Natural Resources (LCCMR) voted on recommendations for proposals for projects seeking 2024 funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF).
According to a legislative update email by LCCMR Chair Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, the recommendations will be taken up by the legislature next session.
According to state of Minnesota, the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund:
. . .was established following voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 1988. The money in the Trust Fund is generated by the Minnesota State Lottery. The Trust Fund holds assets that can be appropriated, "for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources." . . .
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) makes funding recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature for special environment and natural resource projects, primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The LCCMR is made up of 17 members: 5 Senators, 5 Representatives, 5 citizens appointed by the governor, 1 citizen appointed by the Senate, and 1 citizen appointed by the House.
Here's the YouTube of the meeting:
Hansen tweeted about the meeting:
🐝On July 20th, the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources 🌎🌱voted (11-4-2) to recommend $79+ million of the @mnenrtf for #environment/#climate/#biodiversity projects to the 2024 #mnleg https://t.co/7h89G0sDYK pic.twitter.com/qzkNaoWrLY
— Rep. Rick Hansen (@reprickhansen) July 21, 2023
Here's that spreadsheet:
LCCMR Recommendations for 2024 proposals for ENRTF funding uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
One of the LCCMR legislative members tweeted about the approval:
The #LCCMR passed a recommendation full of exciting proposals to protect & enhance our natural resources. Our recommendation next goes to the #mnleg for approval to allocate money from the @mnenrtf to fund the projects. 💧🦆🦌🎣🌲🐝 pic.twitter.com/BkWElmnSSC
— Kelly Morrison (@Morrison4MN) July 20, 2023
One organization whose proposals will be reviewed by the legislature tweeted about their recommended projects:
The LCCMR recommended to #mnleg that MITPPC receive $7 million in response to the 2024 RFP. ‼️ This is huge news! 🎉 Thank you to the commission for supporting critical terrestrial #InvasiveSpecies research into the future, benefitting all Minnesotans. https://t.co/46vM75yBpD
— MN Invasive Terrestrial Plants & Pests Center (@UMNMITPPC) July 21, 2023
Invasive species are a big problem in Minnesota.
Related posts
- MN House passes bill asking voters to reauthorize lottery proceeds for ENRTF
- ENRTF bill up for House floor vote today; Senate version escapes committee after second chance
- Will ENRTF appropriation extensions bill find new life in Senate Environment committee?
- MN House Enviro & Natural Resources committee approves $71M in ENRTF projects
- Ecklund's HF219 passed out of MN House Environment committee on bipartisan 14-5 vote
- [VIDEO] $1 billion investment: Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus unveils 2022 proposals
Logo: The ENRTF logo.
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