Minnesota Legislature
2014 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Recommendations
MN Laws 2014, Chapter 226, Section 2 (beginning July 1, 2014)
MN Laws 2014, Chapter 312, Article 12, Section 8 (beginning July 1, 2014)
For the FY 2014 and FY 2015 biennium (July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015), approximately $33.8 million is available each year (Total = $67,620,000) for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The FY 2014 funds and a portion of the FY 2015 funds were appropriated during M.L. 2013 and approximately $29.6 million remained available for FY 2015. In response to the 2014 Request for Proposal (RFP) - for the FY 2015 funds beginning July 1, 2014 - 192 proposals requesting a total of approximately $111 million were received. Through a competitive, multi-step process, 94 of these proposals, requesting a total of approximately $59 million, were chosen to present to the LCCMR and 71 of those proposals were selected to receive a recommendation for funding to the 2014 MN Legislature. The Legislature adopted all 71 of these project recommendations and they were signed into law by the Governor on 05/09/14. The Legislature added one additional appropriation and it was signed into law by the Governor on 05/20/14.
LINKS TO:- Print-ready PDF list with summary of the M.L. 2014 projects adopted by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
- Summary of appropriations and expected outcomes
- Additional information on LCCMR's M.L. 2014 proposal and funding process
- Information on LCCMR's peer review process for research projects
Viewing Project Information
For each project there is an initial proposal and a more detailed draft work plan that was completed once projects received a recommendation. Work plans do not become final until the LCCMR approves them after the appropriations are passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor.
- To view a project's draft work plan, click on the link in the "Subd" column for that project.
- To view a project's original proposal, visit the 2014 Proposals Received and Selected to Present page and click on the ID # for that proposal.
- To find specific projects within the table you can use your browser's page-search function to search for a project by Project Manager 'Last Name', 'Project Title', or 'Organization'. In most browsers, the page-search function can be accessed under the browser's 'Edit' drop-down menu or by pressing 'Control+F' on a PC or 'Command+F' on a Mac.
| Topic Area | $ Appropriated ($30,430,000) |
Percentage of Total Appropriations |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 226, Section 2 | ||
| Subd. 03 Water Resources (13 Appropriations) | $4,579,000 | 15.05% |
| Subd. 04 Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (6 Appropriations) | $2,298,000 | 7.55% |
| Subd. 05 Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (14 Appropriations) | $4,210,000 | 13.84% |
| Subd. 06 Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (11 Appropriations) | $3,675,000 | 12.08% |
| Subd. 07 Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation (6 Appropriations) | $6,923,000 | 22.75% |
| Subd. 08 Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (9 Appropriations) | $3,360,000 | 11.04% |
| Subd. 09 Environmental Education (9 Appropriations) | $3,681,000 | 12.10% |
| Subd. 10. Administration and Contract Agreement Reimbursement (3 Appropriations) | $244,000 | 0.80% |
| Chapter 312, Section 8 | ||
| Sec. 08 - Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center (1 Appropriation) | $1,460,000 | 4.80% |
| TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION | $30,430,000 | 100% |
| Fund Source | $ Recommended |
|---|---|
| FY 2015 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund | $29,460,000 |
| FY 2012 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (Transfer from ML 2011 Appropriation) | $970,000 |
| TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION | $30,430,000 |
*NOTE: Region of Impact designated in the State include Statewide, Central, Metro, NE, NW, SE, SW. Metro region includes the 11 counties of Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright.
| Subd. | Title | LCCMR $ Recommended ENRTF: FY15 |
Organization | Project Manager |
Region of Impact* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subd. 03 Water Resources (13 Appropriations - Subtotal = $4,579,000) | |||||
| 03a | Solar Driven Destruction of Pesticides, Pharmaceuticals, and Contaminants in Water | $291,000 | U of MN | William Arnold | Statewide |
| 03b | Methods to Protect Beneficial Bacteria from Contaminants to Preserve Water Quality | $279,000 | U of MN | Paige Novak | Statewide |
| 03c | Triclosan Impacts on Wastewater Treatment | $380,000 | U of MN | Timothy LaPara | Statewide |
| 03d | Evaluation of Wastewater Nitrogen and Estrogen Treatment Options | $500,000 | U of MN | Paige Novak | Statewide |
| 03e | Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Minnesota Lakes | $300,000 | U of MN | William Arnold | Statewide |
| 03f | Impacts of Estrogen Exposure on Minnesota's Shallow Lake Wildlife | $136,000 | University of St. Thomas | Kurt Illig | Statewide |
| 03g | Watershed-Scale Monitoring of Long-Term Best Management Practice Effectiveness | $900,000 | Science Museum of MN - St. Croix Watershed Research Station | Daniel Engstrom | Statewide |
| 03h | Protection of the State's Confined Drinking-Water Aquifers | $394,000 | U. S. Geological Survey | James Stark | Statewide |
| 03i | Watershed Water Budgets for Managing Minnesota's Groundwater | $129,000 | U.S. Geological Survey | David Lorenz | Statewide |
| 03j | Identifying Causes of Exceptionally High Mercury in Fish | $743,000 | MN Pollution Control Agency | Bruce Monson | Central, NW, NE |
| 03k | Reducing Lake Quality Impairments through Citizen Action | $59,000 | Freshwater Society | Alex Gehrig | Central |
| 03l | Rainwater Reuse and Valuation Investigation | $300,000 | U of MN | Scott Alexander | Statewide |
| 03m | Measuring Hydrologic Benefits from Glacial Ridge Habitat Restoration | $168,000 | Red Lake Watershed District | Myron Jesme | NW |
| Water Resources Subtotal = | $4,579,000 | ||||
| Subd. 04 Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (6 Appropriations - Subtotal = $2,298,000) | |||||
| 04a | Blocking Bighead, Silver, and Other Invasive Carp by Optimizing Lock and Dams | $854,000 | U of MN | Peter Sorensen | Statewide |
| 04b | Bioacoustics to Detect, Deter, and Eliminate Silver Carp | $262,000 | U of MN Duluth | Allen Mensinger | Statewide |
| 04c | Northwest Minnesota Regional Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pilot | $219,000 | Red River Basin Commission | Joe Courneya | NW |
| 04d | Biosurveillance and Biocontrol of Emerald Ash Borer - Phase 2 | $447,000 | MN Department of Agriculture | Monika Chandler | Statewide |
| 04e1 04e2 |
Mountain Pine Beetle Invasive Threat to Minnesota's Pines | $175,000 $75,000 |
U of MN MN Department of Agriculture |
Brian Aukema Mark Abrahamson |
Central, Metro, NW, NE, SE |
| 04f1 04f2 |
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Monitoring and Biocontrol Evaluation | $167,000 $99,000 |
U of MN MN Department of Agriculture |
Robert Koch Mark Abrahamson |
Statewide |
| Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species Subtotal = | $2,298,000 | ||||
| Subd. 05 Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (14 Appropriations - Subtotal = $4,210,000) | |||||
| 05a | Update the Statewide Land Cover Use Map | $300,000 | U of MN | Joseph Knight | Statewide |
| 05b | State Spring Inventory for Resource Management and Protection | $200,000 | MN DNR | Jan Falteisek | Statewide |
| 05c | Drainage Records Modernization and Statewide Geographic Information System Database | $230,000 | Board of Water and Soil Resources | Allan Kean | Statewide |
| 05d | Restoring Forest Inventory Data | $100,000 | U of MN | Alan Ek | Statewide |
| 05e | Assessing Species Vulnerability to Climate Change Using Phenology | $175,000 | U of MN | Rebecca Montgomery | Statewide |
| 05f | Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas - Final Phase | $300,000 | Audubon Minnesota | Mark Martell | Statewide |
| 05g | Assessing Contaminants in Minnesota's Loons and Pelicans - Phase 2 | $260,000 | MN DNR | Carol Henderson | Statewide |
| 05h | Sandhill Crane Populations and Management in Minnesota | $250,000 | U of MN | David Andersen | Central, NW |
| 05i | Wild Bee Pollinator Surveys in Prairie-Grassland Habitats | $370,000 | MN DNR | Gerda Nordquist | Statewide |
| 05j1 05j2 |
Imperiled Prairie Butterfly Conservation, Research, and Breeding Program | $380,000 $245,000 |
Minnesota Zoological Garden MN DNR |
Erik Runquist Robert Dana |
Central, NW, SW |
| 05k | Conserving Minnesota's Native Freshwater Mussels | $350,000 | U of MN | Jessica Kozarek | Statewide |
| 05l | Impacts of Forest Quality on Declining Minnesota Moose | $300,000 | U of MN | James Forester | NE |
| 05m | Moose Decline and Air Temperatures in Northeastern Minnesota | $600,000 | MN DNR | Mike Larson | NE |
| 05n | Expansion of the Minnesota Wildflowers Online Botanical Reference | $150,000 | Minnesota Wildflowers Information | Katy Chayka | Statewide |
| Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information Subtotal = | $4,210,000 | ||||
| Subd. 06 Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (11 Appropriations - Subtotal = $3,675,000) | |||||
| 06a | Enhancing Pollinator Landscapes | $864,000 | U of MN | Marla Spivak | Statewide |
| 06b | Understanding Systemic Insecticides as a Protection Strategy for Bees | $326,000 | U of MN | Vera Krischik | Statewide |
| 06c | Prairie Sustainability Through Seed Storage, Beneficial Microbes, and Adaptation | $600,000 | U of MN | Ruth Shaw | Statewide |
| 06d | Northeast Minnesota White Cedar Restoration - Phase 2 | $335,000 | Board of Water and Soil Resources | Dale Krystosek | NE |
| 06e | Southeast Minnesota Watershed Protection Plan | $200,000 | The Nature Conservancy | Richard Biske | SE |
| 06f | Habitat Restoration in the Greater Metropolitan Area | $300,000 | Great River Greening | Wiley Buck | Metro |
| 06g | Prairie, Forest, and Savanna Restoration in the Greater Metropolitan Area | $200,000 | Friends of the Mississippi River | Tom Lewanski | Metro |
| 06h | Nutrient Capture through Water Management and Biomass Harvesting | $300,000 | Red River Basin Commission | Jeff Lewis | NW |
| 06i | Cattail Management for Wetland Wildlife and Bioenergy Potential | $74,000 | U of MN - Crookston | Daniel Svedarsky | NW |
| 06j | Dredged Sediment for Forest Restoration on Unproductive Minelands | $300,000 | U of MN - Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute | Tom Levar | NE |
| 06k | Expansion of Victus Farms Greenhouse Production | $176,000 | City of Silver Bay | Lana Fralich | NE |
| Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Subtotal = | $3,675,000 | ||||
| Subd. 07 Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation (6 Appropriations - Subtotal = $6,923,000) | |||||
| 07a | Scientific and Natural Area Acquisition, Restoration, Improvement & Citizen Engagement | $2,540,000 | MN DNR | Peggy Booth | Statewide |
| 07b | Metropolitan Regional Park System Acquisition | $1,500,000 | Metropolitan Council | Arne Stefferud | Metro |
| 07c | Mesabi Trail Development - Soudan to Ely Segment | $1,000,000 | St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority | Robert Manzoline | NE |
| 07d | Shoreland Acquisition on St. Croix River | $1,250,000 | Washington County | June Mathiowetz | Metro |
| 07e | Martin County Park and Natural Area Acquisition | $435,000 | Fox Lake Conservation League, Inc. | Rich Perrine | SW |
| 07f | Minnesota River Water Trailhead and Landing in Morton | $198,000 | City of Morton | Carl Colwell | Central, SW |
| Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation Subtotal = | $6,923,000 | ||||
| Subd. 08 Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (9 Appropriations - Subtotal = $3,360,000) | |||||
| 08a | Solar Cell Materials from Sulfur and Common Metals | $494,000 | U of MN | Lee Penn | Statewide |
| 08b | Innovative Groundwater-Enhanced Geothermal Heat Pump Study | $196,000 | U of MN | Martin Saar | Statewide |
| 08c | Demonstrating Innovative Technologies to Fully Utilize Wastewater Resources | $1,000,000 | U of MN | Roger Ruan | Statewide |
| 08d | Transitioning Minnesota Farms to Local Energy | $500,000 | U of MN - Morris | Michael Reese | Statewide |
| 08e | Life Cycle Energy of Renewably Produced Nitrogen Fertilizers | $250,000 | U of MN - Morris | Joel Tallaksen | Statewide |
| 08f | Clean Water and Renewable Energy from Beet Processing Wastewater and Manure | $400,000 | U of MN - Southern Research and Outreach Center Waseca | Xiao Wu | Statewide |
| 08g | Next Generation Large-Scale Septic Tank Systems | $258,000 | U of MN | Bo Hu | Statewide |
| 08h | Solar Photovoltaic Installation at Residential Environmental Learning Centers | $150,000 | Eagle Bluff, Wolf Ridge, Deep Portage, Long Lake, Audubon, Laurentian Environmental Learning Centers | Dale Yerger | Statewide |
| 08i | Itasca Community College Woody Biomass Utilization Project Design | $112,000 | Itasca Community College | Bart Johnson | NE |
| Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy Subtotal = | $3,360,000 | ||||
| Subd. 09 Environmental Education (9 Appropriations - Subtotal = $3,681,000) | |||||
| 09a | Minnesota Conservation Apprenticeship Academy | $392,000 | Board of Water and Soil Resources | Jenny Gieseke | Statewide |
| 09b | Youth-led Sustainability Initiatives in Forty Greater MN Communities | $350,000 | Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center | Dave Pederson | Statewide |
| 09c | Urban Environmental Education Engaging Students in Local Resources | $1,093,000 | Wilderness Inquiry | Chad Dayton | Statewide |
| 09d1 09d2 |
Diversifying Involvement in the Natural Resources Community | $416,000 $84,000 |
MN DNR U of MN |
Gina Bonsignore Susan Galatowitsch |
Statewide |
| 09e | Educating Minnesotans about Potential Impacts of a Changing Climate | $325,000 | Will Steger Foundation | Kristen Poppleton | Statewide |
| 09f | Pollinator Education Center at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum | $615,000 | U of MN, Landscape Arboretum | Peter Moe | Statewide |
| 09g | Minnesota Pollinator Partnership | $100,000 | Pheasants Forever | Drew Larson | Statewide |
| 09h | Raptor Lab Integrating Online and Outdoor Learning Environments | $186,000 | U of MN | Julia Ponder | Statewide |
| 09i | Wolf Management Education | $120,000 | International Wolf Center | Darcy Berus | Metro |
| Environmental Education Subtotal = | $3,681,000 | ||||
| Subd. 10 Administration and Contract Agreement Reimbursement (3 Appropriations - Subtotal = $244,000) | |||||
| 10a | Contract Agreement Reimbursement | $135,000 | MN DNR | Amanda Graeber | Statewide |
| 10b | Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) Minnesota's Legacy Website | $9,000 | Legislative Coordinating Commission | Sally Olson | Statewide |
| 10c | Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) Project Records System Upgrade | $100,000 | LCCMR | Susan Thornton | Statewide |
| Administration and Contract Agreement Reimbursement Subtotal = | $244,000 | ||||
| M.L. 2014, Chapter 312, Sec. 08 Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center (1 Appropriations - Subtotal = $1,460,000) | |||||
| Sec. 08 | Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center | $1,460,000 | U of MN | Brian Buhr | Statewide |
| Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center Subtotal = | $1,460,000 | ||||
| Total $ Appropriated = | $30,430,000 | ||||