Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources Biennial Report January 15, 2011 Pursuant to: M.S. 116P.09, Subd. 7 Please return this document to the LCCMR office: Room 65 State Office Building LEGISLATIVE-CITIZEN COMMISSION ON MINNESOTA RESOURCES (LCCMR) 2009-10 Biennial Report Overview Overview: January 1, 2009—December 31, 2010 Special points of interest: During the period between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 the Legislative-Citizen Com- New logo for the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund mission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR): introduced in 2009. Submitted and received passage of two fund- $51.6 million was recommended ing recommendations bills—one each to the and approved to go toward 134 2009 Legislature and 2010 Legislature— individual projects around the state providing $51.6 million to 134 natural re- (ML 2009, ML 2010). sources projects around the state. For FY 2012-13, $51.4 million is Issued two Requests for Proposal (RFP) to being recommended to fund 92 conduct selection process for funding recom- individual projects around the state. mendations to the 2010 Legislature and 2011 During 2009-2010, LCCMR pro- Legislature (the process for recommendations vided administration and oversight to the 2009 Legislature was conducted prior for 398 individual projects,, repre- to January 1, 2009). senting approximately $163 million Western prairie-fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) in appropriations, in various stages Received, reviewed, and evaluated 481 pro- growing on Touch the Sky Northern Tallgrass Prairie Na- tional Wildlife Refuge near Luverne, MN—ENRTF Project of their timelines, ranging from posals replying to the 2010 and 2011-12 RFPs. developing work plans in prepara- Kickoff Event, 07/10/10 140 proposals (163 individual projects) were tion to begin to reaching completion (2), and 2010 (1). and submitting final reports. selected for recommendation. Visited natural resources sites in northeastern Finalized recommendations to the 2011 Legis- LCCMR heard from numerous MN, the Twin Cities metro area, and the Min- public and private sector environ- lature of $51.4 million to 92 projects around nesota River Valley in Central MN. ment and natural resources experts the state (bill introduction after December 31, and visited natural resource sites 2010). Collaborated with the Minnesota Lottery to around the state. create and launch a new logo for the Environ- Conducted peer review process for 39 re- ment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. search projects recommended for funding. Heard from numerous natural resources ex- Administered 398 open projects, representing perts from both the public and private sector. approximately $163 million in appropria- tions, in various stages of their timelines, 144 Continued support for activities protecting Contents: of which reached completion in 2009-10, and enhancing Minnesota’s natural resources including projects begun in 2003 (1), 2005 and providing benefit over an extended pe- (11), 2006 (4), 2007 (76), 2008 (53), 2009 riod of time. MN’s Environment and 2 Natural Resources Trust Fund LCCMR Process 2011: 2 The LCCMR makes funding rec- and natural resources projects The LCCMR has oversight over Project Recommendations ommendations to the MN legisla- that could provide multiple eco- projects funded. Projects must ture for special environment and logical and other public benefits have a work program approved, 2010: 2 natural resources projects, pri- to Minnesota. provide ongoing project updates, Projects Funded and deliver a final report upon marily from the Environment The LCCMR reviews, evaluates, and Natural Resources Trust project completion. 2009: 3 and ranks all proposals submit- Projects Funded Fund. These recommendations ted. A selection of the highest For the recommendations to the are the product of a competitive, ranked proposals are invited to 2011 Legislature, a total of 241 Highlights of Projects 3 multi-step proposal and selection present before the LCCMR. Fi- proposals requesting a combined Completed or Underway process. nally, based on the total dollars $162 million were received in Each funding cycle, a Request for available, a subset of the propos- response to the 2011-12 RFP and, 3 2011-2012: Proposal (RFP) is issued for als are chosen to recommend to from those, a total of 92 propos- Request for Proposal (RFP) funding priorities determined by the legislature for funding. als were recommended for some portion of the $50.6 million the Commission based on its 6- The funding recommendations About LCCMR 4 available. year strategic plan and ongoing go before the MN House and information gathering activities, Senate in the form of a bill, and The LCCMR is made up of 17 including expert-led issue semi- 2009: 4 upon passage the bill goes to the members: 5 Senators, 5 Repre- Information Gathering nars and visits to natural re- Governor to be signed into law. sentatives, 5 citizens appointed source sites around the state. Funding becomes available to by the governor, 1 citizen ap- The RFP is open to everyone with projects beginning July 1 of the pointed by the House, and 1 citi- innovative ideas for environment next fiscal year. zen appointed by the Senate. Page 2 LEGISLATIVE-CITIZEN COMMISSION ON MINNESOTA RESOURCES (LCCMR) About MN’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund The Environment and Natural water, land, fish, wildlife, and contributions and investment Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) other natural resources." income. Forty percent of the net is a permanent fund in the state The ENRTF was created to pro- proceeds from the Minnesota treasury established in the Min- vide a long-term, consistent, and State Lottery, or ~7 cents of nesota Constitution through stable source of funding for in- every dollar spent playing the voter approval in 1988. novative activities directed at lottery, are contributed to the It holds assets that can be ap- protecting and enhancing Min- ENRTF each year. Once depos- propriated by law, "for the pub- nesota's environment and natu- ited, contributions become part lic purpose of protection, con- ral resources. of the principal balance and are invested in a combination of servation, preservation, and The money in the ENRTF origi- stocks and bonds. enhancement of the state's air, nates from a combination of ML 2011: Project Recommendations (to begin July 1, 2011) Approximately $50.6 million is bination of fee title (1,766 acres) cies protection, ecosystem con- being recommended to fund 92 and conservation easements servation, bioenergy, water individual projects around the (1,310 acres). quality and conservation, for- state to begin July 1, 2011. Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat estry, invasive species, pollution, Natural Resource Inventory, Restoration, Enhancement, and and sustainable building. Monitoring, Mapping, and Improvement: ~$2.4 million for Environmental Education, Out- Planning: ~$11.1 million to ob- restoration, enhancement, and reach, Demonstration, and tain critical information and improvement activities on Technical Assistance: ~$6.3 guide relevant decisions and ~6,141 acres. million for efforts that will edu- efforts, including acceleration of Parks and Trails Acquisition: cate Minnesotans on topics in- County Biological Survey, ~$6.5 million for acquisition of cluding energy conservation, County Geologic Atlas, State- ~770 acres in state parks and water conservation, natural wide Soil Survey, Wetlands In- trails and regional parks and resource science, and outdoor ventory, water quality monitor- trails. recreation; demonstrate options ing, springshed mapping, local for energy efficiency; and pro- Parks and Trails Development: conservation planning, state- vide training and technical assis- ~$4.2 million for infrastructure owned lands management, and tance on pollution prevention development in Lake Vermilion recommended guidelines for and natural resource conserva- State Park and regional parks prairie management, forest tion and management. and trails. management, and energy and Other: ~$1.4 million for FY 2012 Natural Resource Research and water conservation -2013 LCCMR administration Analysis: ~$7 million to ad- Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat ($1,182,000) and DNR contract vance our knowledge and pro- Acquisition: ~$12.5 million for management of projects by non- vide recommendations for ad- acquisition of an estimated state entities ($220,000). dressing issues relating to spe- 3,076 acres of habitat in a com- ML 2010: Projects Funded (MN Laws 2010, Chapter 362) Approximately $26 million was Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat aquatic contaminants, ground- appropriated to fund 73 individ- Acquisition: ~$7.1 million for water, invasive species, pollina- ual projects around the state. acquisition of an estimated tor decline, carbon sequestra- Natural Resource Inventory, 2,900 acres of land and habitat tion, unique ecosystems, and Monitoring, Mapping, and in a combination of fee title (590 energy production. Planning: ~$3.6 million to allow acres) and conservation ease- Environmental Education, Out- for efforts to obtain critical in- ments (2,309 acres). reach, Demonstration, and formation and guide relevant Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat Technical Assistance: ~$5.6 decisions and efforts, including Restoration and Improvement: million for efforts that will edu- acceleration of County Geologic ~$2.4 million for restoration cate Minnesotans on topics in- Atlas; Wetlands Inventory; and improvement activities on cluding climate change, wildlife, Fraconia Bluffs Scientific and Natural