Minnesota Legislature
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources
The LCCMR is made up of 17 members: 5 Senators, 5 Representatives, 5 citizens appointed by the governor, 1 citizen appointed by the Senate, and 1 citizen appointed by the House. The function of the LCCMR is to make funding recommendations to the legislature for special environment and natural resource projects, primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). These projects help maintain and enhance Minnesota's environment and natural resources. The LCCMR developed from a program initiated in 1963. Since 1963, approximately $1.0 billion has been appropriated to more than 2,400 projects recommended to the legislature by the Commission to protect and enhance Minnesota's environment and natural resources.
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF)
In 1988, 77% of Minnesota voters approved a constitutional amendment establishing the ENRTF (Article XI, Sec. 14) - a constitutionally dedicated fund that originates from a combination of Minnesota State Lottery proceeds and investment income. The purpose of the ENRTF is to provide a long-term, consistent, and stable source of funding for activities that protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance Minnesota's "air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources" for the benefit of current citizens and future generations. Since 1991, the ENRTF has provided approximately $1 billion to over 1,600 projects around the state.
2025 Proposals Received
As of March 27, 2024, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) received 214 proposals requesting a total of approximately $183 million. The amount available for appropriation from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) is approximately $90 million. This RFP process is for FY 2026 funds that become available beginning July 1, 2025.
LCCMR reviews and evaluates all proposals against their 10 adopted evaluation criteria. On June 10, members will select a subset of high-ranking proposals to invite for presentation before the LCCMR on June 20-21 & 26-28 in order to receive further consideration. On July 31, the LCCMR will meet to make final selection and funding allocation decisions. In late 2024, the commission will meet to approve appropriation bill language for these projects that will be presented to the 2025 Minnesota Legislature as the official LCCMR recommendations for spending from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
2024 Project Recommendations
As of July 20, 2023, the Legislative‐Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) has selected 101 projects totaling $79,644,000 to recommend to the 2024 Minnesota Legislature for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). In response to LCCMR’s 2024 Request for Proposal (RFP), 218 proposals requesting a total of approximately $174 million were received and considered through a competitive, multi‐stage evaluation. The following recommendations range from funding the full proposal and dollar amount requested to partial funding for specific proposal elements.
2024 Project Recommendations
LCCMR Strategic Planning
- NEW - 2024 LCCMR Strategic Planning - learn about LCCMR’s current strategic planning efforts and how you can participate in those efforts.
- LCCMR Six-Year Strategic Plan for the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund - revised and adopted on December 10, 2013; readopted on July 1, 2020.
- ENRTF Strategic Planning Process Report - created by Minnesota Management and Budget, Management Analysis and Development on December 26, 2019.
- Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan - completed on June 30, 2008. An integrated inventory and assessment of Minnesota's environment and natural resources that provides recommendations for addressing critical issues and trends impacting them.
2024 LCCMR Strategic Planning LCCMR Six-Year Strategic Plan ENRTF Strategic Planning Process Report Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan
LCCMR Biennial Report to the Legislature
The LCCMR biennial report as required in M.S. 116P.09, Subd. 7 from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) due January 15, 2023 is available. The report covers LCCMR actions from Jan. 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, including summaries of past funding accomplishments and new recommendations for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
Emerging Issues Account
The 2021 Legislature made 3 appropriations for the LCCMR's Emerging Issues Account: (1) M.L. 2021, First Special Session, Chapter 6, Article 5, 10 for $1,095,000 (for renewable energy demonstration projects at wastewater treatment facilities); (2) M.L. 2021, First Special Session, Chapter 6, Article 5, 20c for $393,000; and (3) M.L. 2021, First Special Session, Chapter 6, Article 6, 10c for $233,000. These appropriations are authorized under M.S. 116P.08, Subd. 4 and can be allocated to efforts addressing an unexpected and urgent need in an expedited manner.
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