Minnesota Legislature
2016 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Recommendations
For the FY 2016 and FY 2017 biennium (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2017), approximately $46.3 million is available each year (total = $92,674,000) for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. As of 12/02/15, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) has selected 89 projects totaling $46.3 million to recommend to the 2016 Minnesota Legislature for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). The recommendations are the result of the LCCMR's 2016 Request for Proposal (RFP) process, in which 186 proposals requesting a total of approximately $131 million were received and considered through a competitive, multi-stage evaluation. The recommendations range from full funding for the full proposal and dollar amount requested to partial funding for specific proposal elements and partial dollar amounts requested.
LINKS TO:
- Print-ready PDF list of the M.L. 2016 proposals recommended by the LCCMR.
- Additional information on LCCMR's M.L. 2016 proposal and funding process
Viewing Proposals
- Click on the proposal ID # to view the full 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 | $ Recommended ($46,337,000) |
Percentage of Total Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Subd. 03 Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (18 Appropriations) |
$8,328,000 | 17.97% |
| Subd. 04 Water Resources (25 Appropriations) |
$8,349,000 | 18.02% |
| Subd. 05 Environmental Education (11 Appropriations) |
$2,562,000 | 5.53% |
| Subd. 06 Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (7 Appropriations) |
$5,860,000 | 12.65% |
| Subd. 07 Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (8 Appropriations) |
$3,889,000 | 8.39% |
| Subd. 08 Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (9 Appropriations) |
$4,515,000 | 9.74% |
| Subd. 09 Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation (9 Appropriations) |
$12,624,000 | 27.24% |
| Subd. 10 Administration System (2 Appropriations) |
$210,000 | 0.45% |
| TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION | $46,337,000 | 100% |
| Fund Source | $ Recommended |
|---|---|
| FY 2017 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) | $46,337,000 |
| TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION | $46,337,000 |
*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: FY2017 |
Organization | Project Manager |
Region of Impact* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subd. 03 Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (18 Recommendations - Subtotal = $8,328,000) |
|||||
| Data-Driven Pollinator Conservation Strategies | $520,000 | U of MN | Daniel Cariveau | Central, NW, SW | |
| Native Bee Surveys in Minnesota Prairie and Forest Habitats | $600,000 | MN DNR | Crystal Boyd | Central, Metro, NW, SE, SW | |
03c2 |
Prairie Butterfly Conservation, Research, and Breeding - Phase II | $421,000 $329,000 |
Minnesota Zoological Garden / MN DNR | Erik Runquist / Robert Dana | NW, SW |
| Statewide Monitoring Network for Changing Habitats in Minnesota | $500,000 | MN DNR | Bruce Carlson | Statewide | |
| Completing National Wetland Inventory Update for Minnesota | $1,500,000 | MN DNR | Seve Kloiber | NW | |
| Minnesota Vegetative Buffer Assessment and Prioritization to Protect Water Quality | $170,000 | U of MN | David Mulla | Statewide | |
| Assessment Tool for Understanding Vegetation Growth Impacts on Groundwater Recharge | $212,000 | U of MN | Gene-Hua (Crystal) Ng | Statewide | |
| Sentinel Lakes Monitoring and Data Synthesis - Phase III | $401,000 | MN DNR | Melissa Treml | NE, NW, SE, SW | |
| State Spring Inventory for Resource Management and Protection - Phase II | $370,000 | MN DNR | Jim Berg | Statewide | |
| Enhancing Understanding of Minnesota River Aquatic Ecosystem | $500,000 | MN DNR | Tony Sindt | Central, Metro, SE, SW | |
| Improving Brook Trout Stream Habitat through Beaver Management | $225,000 | Bemidji State University | Andrew Hafs | NE | |
| Evaluate Temperature, Streamflow, and Hydrogeology Impact on Brook Trout Habitat | $115,000 | Minnesota Geological Survey | Bob Tipping | SE | |
| Restoration of Elk to Northeastern Minnesota | $300,000 | U of MN | James Forester | NE | |
| Game and Nongame Bird Pesticide Exposure | $349,000 | U of MN | Julia Ponder | Statewide | |
| Evaluating Insecticide Exposure Risk for Grassland Wildlife on Public Lands | $250,000 | MN DNR | Nicole Davros | Central, SE, SW | |
| Development of Innovative Cost-Saving Methodology for Forest Inventory | $1,000,000 | MN DNR | Dennis Kepler | Statewide | |
| Evaluation of Tree Retention Guidelines Pertaining to Wildlife | $232,000 | U of MN - Duluth NRRI | Gerald Niemi | Statewide | |
| Determine Impacts on Wildlife from Emerald Ash Borer Infection of Black Ash Forests | $334,000 | U of MN - Duluth NRRI | Gerald Niemi | Statewide | |
| Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information Subtotal = | $8,328,000 | ||||
| Subd. 04 Water Resources (25 Recommendations - Subdtotal = $8,349,000) |
|||||
| Tracking and Preventing Harmful Algal Blooms | $500,000 | Science Museum of Minnesota - St. Croix Research Station | Daniel Engstrom | Statewide | |
| Assessing the Increasing Harmful Algal Blooms in Minnesota Lakes | $270,000 | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | Miki Hondzo | Statewide | |
| Restoring Native Mussels in Streams and Lakes | $600,000 | MN DNR | Mike Davis | Statewide | |
| Assessing Techniques for Eliminating Contaminants to Protect Native Fish and Mussels | $287,000 | University of St. Thomas | Kristine Wammer | Statewide | |
| Assessing Neonicotinoid Insecticide Effects on Aquatic and Soil Communities | $400,000 | U of MN | William Arnold | Statewide | |
| Bacterial Assessment of Groundwater Supplies Used for Drinking Water | $299,000 | U of MN | Raymond Hozalski | Statewide | |
| Understanding Bedrock Fracture Flow to Improve Groundwater Quality | $183,000 | Minnesota Geological Survey | Anthony Runkel | Metro, SE | |
| Protection of State's Confined Drinking Water Aquifers - Phase II | $433,000 | U. S. Geological Survey | Jared Trost | Statewide | |
| Techniques for Water Storage Estimates in Central Minnesota | $250,000 | U of MN | John Nieber | Statewide | |
| Assessment of Surface Water Quality with Satellite Sensors | $345,000 | U of MN | Jacques Finlay | Statewide | |
| Development of Innovative Sensor Technologies for Water Monitoring | $509,000 | U of MN | Tianhong Cui | Statewide | |
| Wastewater Treatment Process Improvements | $398,000 | U of MN | Timothy LaPara | Statewide | |
| Membrane-Based Process for Decentralized Drinking Water Production | $191,000 | U of MN | Santiago Romero-Vargas Castrillón | Statewide | |
| Analyzing Alternatives for Municipal Wastewater Treatment | $180,000 | MPCA | Scott Kyser | Metro | |
| Understanding Impacts of Salt Usage on Minnesota Lakes, Rivers, and Groundwater | $497,000 | U of MN | John Gulliver | Statewide | |
| Microbes for Salt and Metal Removal | $596,000 | U of MN | Daniel Bond | Statewide | |
| Engineered Biofilter for Sulfate and Metal Removal from Mine Waters | $440,000 | U of MN | Sebastian Behrens | NE | |
| Developing Biosponge Technology for Removal of Nitrates from Minnesota Waters | $198,000 | U of MN | Lawrence Wackett | Statewide | |
| Morrison County Performance Drainage and Hydrology Management | $209,000 | Morrison SWCD | Helen McLennan | Central | |
| Agricultural and Urban Runoff Water Quality Treatment Analysis - Phase II | $110,000 | Blue Earth County Drainage Authority | Craig Austinson | SW | |
| Surface Water Bacterial Treatment System Pilot Project | $500,000 | Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization | Brian Corcoran | Metro | |
| Assessing Effectiveness of Wetland Restorations for Improved Water Quality | $420,000 | U of MN | Jacques Finlay | Central, NW, SW | |
| Assessing Climate Change Effects on Release of Mercury and Sulfur into Aquatic Ecosystems | $300,000 | U of MN | Ed Nater | Statewide | |
| Integrating Targeted Watershed Planning Tools with Citizen Involvement | $169,000 | Minnesota State University, Mankato - Water Resources Center | Kimberly Musser | Statewide | |
| Roseau Lake Watershed Targeted Water Quality Improvement | $65,000 | MN DNR | Henry Van Offelen | NW | |
| Water Resources Subtotal = | $8,349,000 | ||||
| Subd. 05 Environmental Education (11 Recommendations - Subdtotal = $2,562,000) |
|||||
| Minnesota Conservation Apprentice Academy | $433,000 | Board of Water and Soil Resources | Jenny Gieseke | Statewide | |
| School Forests Outdoor Classrooms | $440,000 | MN DNR | Amy Kay Kerber | Statewide | |
| Youth-Led Sustainability Projects in 50 Minnesota Communities - Phase III | $400,000 | Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center | Shelli-Kae Foster | Statewide | |
| New Prairie Sportsman Statewide Broadcast Video Project | $300,000 | Pioneer Public Television | Patrick Moore | Statewide | |
| Workshops and Outreach for Nontoxic Ammunition Alternatives | $133,000 | U of MN | Julia Ponder | Statewide | |
| Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Education for Southwest Minnesota High Schools | $147,000 | Minnesota Zoo | Carol Strecker | SW | |
| Standards-Based Dakota Indian Land Stewardship Education | $197,000 | Dakota Wicohan | Darlene St. Clair | Statewide | |
| Wolf Management Education in the Classroom - Phase II | $240,000 | International Wolf Center | David Kline | Statewide | |
| Master Water Steward Program Expansion | $116,000 | Freshwater Society | Peggy Knapp | Statewide | |
| Promoting Water Quality Stewardship through Student Mentoring and River Monitoring | $39,000 | Southwest Minnesota State University | Emily Deaver | SW | |
| Analysis of Thermally Modified Wood Nesting Boxes for Birds | $117,000 | U of MN - Duluth NRRI | Ryan Hueffmeier | Statewide | |
| Environmental Education Subtotal = | $2,562,000 | ||||
| Subd. 06 Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (7 Recommendeds - Subtotal = $5,860,000) |
|||||
| Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center - Phase III | $3,750,000 | U of MN | Robert Venette | Statewide | |
| Developing Membrane Filtration System to Treat Lake Superior Ballast Water | $151,000 | U of MN | Santiago Romero-Vargas Castrillón | NE | |
| Advancing Microbial Invasive Species Monitoring from Ballast Discharge | $368,000 | U of MN | Randall Hicks | NE | |
| Biological Control of White Nose Syndrome in Bats - Phase II | $452,000 | U of MN | Christine Salomon | Statewide | |
06e2 |
Elimination of Target Invasive Plant Species - Phase II | $511,000 $239,000 |
Minnesota Department of Agriculture / U of MN | Monika Chandler / Angela Gupta | Statewide |
| Dutch Elm Disease Resistance - Phase II | $200,000 | U of MN | Robert Blanchette | Statewide | |
| Invasive Carp Management Research in Lake Nokomis Subwatershed | $189,000 | Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board | Adam Arvidson | Metro | |
| Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species Subtotal = | $5,860,000 | ||||
| Subd. 07 Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (8 Recommendations - Subtotal = $3,889,000) |
|||||
| Solar Cells Manufacturing Research | $388,000 | U of MN | Tianhong Cui | Statewide | |
| Community Solar Garden Installation | $490,000 | Rural Renewable Energy Alliance | BJ Allen | Central | |
| High-Resolution Climate Projections to Aid Local Planning and Implementation Efforts | $411,000 | U of MN | Peter Snyder | Statewide | |
| Geotargeted Distributed Clean Energy Initiative | $800,000 | Center for Energy and Environment | Carl Nelson | Statewide | |
| Waste Heat Recovery with Efficient Thermoelectric Energy Generators | $400,000 | U of MN | Uwe Kortshagen | Metro | |
| Hydrogen Fuel from Wind-Produced Renewable Ammonia | $400,000 | U of MN | Will Northrop | Metro, NW | |
| Utilization of Dairy Farm Wastewater for Sustainable Production | $500,000 | U of MN - West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris | Bradley Heins | Statewide | |
| Solar Energy Utilization for Minnesota Swine Farms - Phase II | $500,000 | U of MN - West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris | Lee Johnston | Central, NW, SE, SW | |
| Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy Subtotal = | $3,889,000 | ||||
| Subd. 08 Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (9 Recommendations - Subtotal = $4,515,000) |
|||||
| Bee Pollinator Habitat Enhancement - Phase II | $387,000 | U of MN | Marla Spivak | Statewide | |
| Measuring Pollen and Seed Dispersal for Prairie Fragment Connectivity | $556,000 | U of MN | Lauren Sullivan | NW | |
| Establishment of Permanent Habitat Strips Within Row Crops | $179,000 | Science Museum of Minnesota - St. Croix Research Station | Shawn Schottler | Statewide | |
| Evaluate Prescribed Burning Techniques to Improve Habitat Management for Brushland Species | $267,000 | U of MN | Rebecca Montgomery | NE | |
| Controlling Reed Canary Grass to Regenerate Floodplain Forest | $218,000 | Audubon Minnesota | Tim Schlagenhaft | SE | |
| Forest Management for Mississippi River Drinking Water Protection | $300,000 | Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District | Melissa Barrick | Central | |
| Upland, Wetland, and Shoreline Restoration in Greater Metropolitan Area | $509,000 | Great River Greening | Wiley Buck | Metro | |
| Bluffland Restoration and Monitoring in Winona | $99,000 | Winona State University | Neal Mundahl | SE | |
| Champlin Mill Pond Shoreland Restoration | $2,000,000 | City of Champlin | Todd Tuominen | Metro | |
| Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat Subtotal = | $4,515,000 | ||||
| Subd. 09 Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation (9 Recommendations - Subtotal = 12,624,000) |
|||||
| State Parks and Trails Land Acquisitions | $2,445,000 | MN DNR | Jennifer Christie | Statewide | |
| Scientific and Natural Area Acquisition and Restoration | $4,000,000 | MN DNR | Peggy Booth | Statewide | |
| Minnesota Point Pine Forest Scientific and Natural Area Acquisition | $500,000 | MN DNR | Peggy Booth | NE | |
| Conservation Easements in the Avon Hills - Phase III | $1,300,000 | Saint Johns University | Thomas Kroll | Central | |
| Wilder Forest Acquisition | $500,000 | Washington County / Minnesota Food Association | TBD / Hilary Otey Wold | Metro | |
| Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System Acquisition for Wellhead Protection | $1,500,000 | Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System | Jason Overby | SW | |
| Mesabi Trail Segment from Highway 135 to the Town of Embarrass | $1,200,000 | St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Author | Robert Manzoline | NE | |
| Tower Historic Harbor Trail Connections | $679,000 | City of Tower | Linda Keith | NE | |
| Otter Tail River Recreational Trail Acquisition | $500,000 | City of Fergus Falls | Gordon Hydukovich | Central | |
| Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation Subtotal = | $12,624,000 | ||||
| Subd. 10 Administration (2 Recommendations - Subtotal = $210,000) |
|||||
| Contract Agreement Reimbursement | $135,000 | MN DNR | Jason Tidemann | Statewide | |
| Grants Management System | $75,000 | LCCMR | Susan Thornton | Statewide | |
| Administration Subtotal = | $210,000 | ||||
| Total $ Recommended = | $46,337,000 | ||||