Legislators will consider environmental bonding proposals, recommendations from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council for expenditures from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, and recommendations from the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources for expenditures from the Environmental Trust Fund (lottery proceeds).

The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee will take a comprehensive look at the ways the state’s environment and natural resources services are managed, with the goal of finding ways of improving their delivery to Minnesotans.

ENVIRONMENTAL BONDING

The Capital Bonding Bill will hold a high priority in 2010, with an overall anticipated bill totaling $1 billion in building projects.  Legislators will be working to pass a bill early in session, with projects chosen strategically to meet capital bonding goals, while maximizing economic benefits to the state.   Funding for “ready-to-build” projects will be a  priority, along with an emphasis on projects that will help Minnesota recover from the current economic recession and pave the way for future prosperity.  Many of this year’s bonding proposals will involve environmentally-friendly building construction and the creation of “green jobs,” restoring wetlands, updating wastewater treatment plants, and fixing run down trails.  Hearings will be held on the Governor’s bonding suggestions, as well as other bonding projects that are brought forward. The final bonding bill is expected to include a significant environment and natural resources component.

NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee has begun a series of hearings on the delivery of environment and natural resources services in Minnesota, with the aim of finding efficiencies and improving natural resources management.  Legislators are in the process of gathering information from state agency and local government officials, nonprofit organizations, interested citizens, and many others with the idea of taking a good look at what is working well, and what could work better. Budget constraints, intensive mandates, and a changing workforce are some of the issues that are affecting environment and natural resources management, according to recent testimony. All interested citizens who have ideas to contribute should feel free to contact my office, and I will make sure they are forwarded to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

LESSARD-SAMS OUTDOOR HERITAGE FUND (L-SOHC)

In mid-December, members of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council agreed on a tentative package of 22 funding requests for conservation projects that will be funded with one-third of the sales tax money from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.  The recommendations include $56.3 million for projects, as well as the release of a final $18 million payment for the 187,000-acre forest easement acquisition in northeastern Minnesota, and $1.9 million to complete the Rum River-Cedar Creek Initiative that was committed to in the first round of funding last April. The L-SOHC recommendations include program work with a reasonably even distribution across all habitat types and in all
five of the state’s ecological regions (Northern Forest, Southeast Forest, Metro Urbanizing Area, Prairie-Forest Transition, and Prairie). The recommendations will be forwarded to legislative committees for consideration and approval in the 2010 Legislative Session.  For further information, contact:  www.lsohc.leg.mn/

LEGISLATIVE-CITIZEN COMMISSION ON MINNESOTA RESOURCES (LCCMR)

In October, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources completed its annual process for making recommendations to the Legislature on funding for environment and natural resources projects around the state.  Those recommendations include a total of $26 million from the state’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (lottery proceeds) to 48 projects. The projects being recommended address a full range of priorities identified by LCCMR members, to ensure multiple long-term goals benefiting Minnesota’s air, water, land, fish, and other natural resources.  Examples of projects include:

• Acceleration of Minnesota’s County Geological Atlas Program, which provides essential information statewide for sustainable use and protection of groundwater.
• Research into protecting Minnesota’s waters from emerging contaminants, such as endocrine disrupting compounds, that threaten both human and aquatic health.
• Advancement and demonstration of renewable-energy options that may be able to help Minnesota reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and
• New and continued efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species, such as European Buckthorn, Garlic Mustard, Emerald Ash Borer, and Round Goby.

For further information, contact:  http://www.lccmr.leg.mn/

LEGACY FUNDS/LEGISLATIVE GUIDE

Legislators will recommend and approve a legislative guide for the use and expected outcomes of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy dedicated funds (approved by voters in 2008) for the years 2010-2015.   The recommendations are to include:  principles for guiding future expenditures, desired outcomes, a general statement about how the funds might be used in later years, and consideration of financial methods, such as revolving loan funds, that might be used in future appropriations.