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M.L. 2014 ENRTF Recommendations

2014 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Recommendations
H.F. 1874 and S.F. 1899

The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota's Resources (LCCMR) has selected 71 projects totaling $29 million to recommend to the 2014 Minnesota Legislature for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). The recommendations are the result of the LCCMR's 2014 Request for Proposal (RFP) process, in which 192 proposals requesting a total of approximately $111 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:

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 $ Recommended
($28,970,000)
Percentage of Total Recommendation
Subd. 03 Water Resources (13 Appropriations) $4,579,000 15.81%
Subd. 04 Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (6 Appropriations) $2,298,000 7.93%
Subd. 05 Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (14 Appropriations) $4,210,000 14.53%
Subd. 06 Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (12 Appropriations) $3,675,000 12.69%
Subd. 07 Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation (6 Appropriations) $6,923,000 23.90%
Subd. 08 Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (9 Appropriations) $3,360,000 11.60%
Subd. 09 Environmental Education (9 Appropriations) $3,681,000 12.71%
Subd. 10. Administration and Contract Agreement Reimbursement (3 Appropriations) $244,000 0.84%
TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION $28,970,000 100%


Fund Source $ Recommended
FY 2015 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund $28,970,000
TOTAL $ RECOMMENDATION $28,970,000

*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:
FY2015
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 Tim Cowdery 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 Jane Harper 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
09d Diversifying Involvement in the Natural Resources Community $416,000
$84,000
MN DNR
U of MN
Michele Hanson 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      
Total $ Recommendation = $28,970,000      

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