One of many issues that makes Minnesota distinctive is having constitutionally outlined, public funds for the surroundings—the Atmosphere and Pure Assets Belief Fund and Outside Heritage Fund. With broad bipartisan help over a long time, Minnesota has constructed one thing exceptional: sturdy environmental funding that helps thriving habitats and entry to outside areas. These funds energy hundreds of tasks in each nook of the state, giving folks entry to the parks, trails, and wild areas that Minnesota is thought for. They foster a robust outside recreation tradition, bolster the financial system, and help the locations that Minnesotans cherish. Typically, although, the significance of those funds can get misplaced within the processes and alphabet soup of related acronyms. So, what precisely are the Atmosphere and Pure Assets Belief Fund and Outside Heritage Fund?
Atmosphere & Pure Assets Belief Fund (ENRTF)
This was established by voters in 1988 and most lately reaffirmed on the 2024 poll. The ENRTF is designed to offer long-term, steady funding to guard, preserve, and improve Minnesota’s “air, water, land, fish, wildlife and different pure assets.” It’s funded via proceeds from the Minnesota State Lottery and the ENRTF’s funding revenue. Yearly, a portion of the ENRTF is offered for conservation tasks, chosen by the Legislative-Citizen Fee on Minnesota Assets (often simply known as LCCMR). As soon as the LCCMR selects tasks, they make a funding suggestion to the legislature, which is was a funding invoice (extra on that under…).
The Outside Heritage Fund (OHF)
Much like the ENRTF, the “Legacy Modification” was created by Minnesota voters. In 2008, Minnesotans voted to lift the state gross sales tax by 0.0375% in an effort to create a devoted funding stream for 4 funds—the primary three funds, representing roughly 80% of the whole {dollars}, are devoted to Minnesota’s surroundings: Clear Water Fund, Outside Heritage Fund, and Parks & Trails Fund. The fourth fund is devoted to Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage. And, much like the ENRTF course of, the Lessard-Sams Outside Heritage Council (additionally generally simply known as LSOHC) is chargeable for reviewing OHF proposals and offering funding suggestions to the legislature.
In such an outdoors-forward state, it may be simple to take all of this with no consideration, however the latest 2026 legislative session proved once more that defending these essential funds takes vigilance.
The Minnesota Legislature simply completed a turbulent two-year run that, being essentially the most evenly divided in historical past, repeatedly examined bipartisan cooperation. Even with the related fee and council handing the Legislature vetted funding suggestions, the ENRTF invoice took further effort to maneuver to passage, and the state got here nearer than ever earlier than to not having an OHF appropriations invoice. Understanding this was going to be a brief, intense session, Audubon’s coverage workforce was deeply targeted on defending and advocating for these payments. Within the ultimate days of the legislative session, Audubon was on the Minnesota Capitol alongside environmental leaders, urging legislators to set their variations apart and cross these vital funding payments. Tons of of Audubon advocates throughout the state despatched hundreds of messages to elected officers, insisting that these payments cross. Fortunately, the ENRTF lastly handed with an amazing majority; with simply three and a half hours earlier than the top of session, the OHF invoice noticed ultimate passage as effectively.
It got here right down to the wire, however in the long run, $102 million in surroundings tasks via the Atmosphere and Pure Assets Belief Fund, and $191 million via the Outside Heritage Fund had been authorized and funded. Plus, the ENRTF appropriations invoice consists of $28 million in devoted Group Grants – a brand new program throughout the ENRTF that’s designed to make mission funding extra accessible to organizations which might be smaller in operation and/or have traditionally confronted obstacles to this funding supply. Audubon Higher Mississippi River has been strongly advocating for this program. We’re excited a couple of range of companions and entities like Audubon chapters having the ability to faucet into this public funding and collectively increase the work of defending Minnesota’s surroundings.
For Audubon UMR, these appropriations embrace:
- $840,000 (ENRTF) for Undertake a Flyway: Enhancing Minnesota’s Migratory Pitstops. This recognition mission will empower landowners throughout Minnesota to orient the worth of their land throughout the Mississippi Flyway, encouraging voluntary administration actions to enhance migratory and breeding habitat high quality. Audubon will present monetary help to pursue adoption of bird-friendly land administration practices on private and non-private lands whereas monitoring the impacts of the utilized administration on sure focused chicken species by utilizing autonomous recording items.
- $26,000 (ENRTF) to offer bird-friendly technical help to information the Minnesota Board of Soil & Water District’s Biodiverse & Resilient Areas program—an effort to develop a biodiversity and resiliency information, case examine tasks, and supply outreach, schooling, and technical help to communities concerning the administration of private and non-private lands.
- $1.2 million (OHF) for A River of Birds within the Sky: Conserving Minnesota’s Flyway. This mission will increase habitat enhancement and restoration on completely protected land alongside the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers as they move via jap Minnesota. This area accommodates distinctive and demanding habitats which might be residence to over 320 birds and 150+ non-avian Species of Best Conservation Want.
There are three causes to advocate for coverage change: to tell, to protect, and to advance. This session our main aim was to advance these vital environmental funding payments. It took an enormous collective effort, and take care of Minnesota’s surroundings prevailed.
