Environment trust fund bill — minus money for Boundary Waters group — heads to House Floor

Today is Earth Day, a day to focus on ways to support and protect the environment.

So, it’s fitting that a bill to spend $102 million on projects supporting the Earth Day mission took an important step closer to becoming law.

Specifically, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill, HF3426, was approved by the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday and sent to the House Floor.

“There is really something for everyone in here,” Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL-Mpls) said of the bill she sponsors, referring to the 108 environmental projects that would be funded.

“The ENRTF benefits all Minnesotans,” she said, giving examples of projects ranging from research on PFAS (forever chemicals) testing and mitigation to developing a rapid test to detect chronic wasting disease in deer.

“There’s also parks and trails funding and outdoor recreation opportunities in every corner of this state,” she said.

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Projects and the amounts come from the annual recommendations of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Fund dollars are generated by the state lottery.

The trust fund was established following voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 1988, and it has provided approximately $1.1 billion to more than 1,700 projects around the state since 1991.

‘Controversial’ project not funded

The bill does not contain a recommended $1.25 million grant to the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness for an “Outdoor Learning Professional Development for Educators and Administrators” project.

Rep. Josh Heintzeman (R-Nisswa) said Republican support for the bill is contingent on not providing funding for the “controversial” project.

“We were able to fix, I think, a problem for the path forward for this bill,” he said.

Heintzeman did not provide specifics, but House Republicans have filed an ethics complaint centering on alleged conflicts of interest surrounding Rep. Alex Falconer (DFL-Eden Prairie) and his connections with the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.