HF 3765 is the funding bill for the Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund projects. Funding is based, in part, on recommendations from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and are funded by proceeds from the Minnesota State Lottery.
The Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund Appropriations Bill provides funding for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. This year’s bill includes over $70 million in environmental appropriations. However, this bill does not adhere directly to intended recommendations from the LCCMR due to the commission’s inability to reach a supermajority agreement. As a result, roughly $7 million in projects that were not presented to the LCCMR were included in the bill. Many of these projects were originally intended for inclusion in other omnibus bills, leading to concerns that the ENRTF is being used to supplant preexisting funding sources.
