SAINT PAUL, MN—The Minnesota House Environment Committee recently heard HF 1265, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) bill. Created by constitutional amendment in 1988, the ENRTF is the portion of lottery dollars that are to protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance Minnesota's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. A commission made up of citizen experts and legislators reviews projects and recommends what to fund to the legislature. The Republican author of the bill, Rep. Josh Heintzeman (Nisswa) and the rest of the Republicans on the committee moved to remove more than 20 of the 69 projects recommended, many of which were related to climate change and renewable energy.
“Citizen experts spend months reviewing the hundreds of projects submitted to them and hold days long public hearings on the proposed environmental projects,” remarked Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South Saint Paul). “The voters or Minnesota expect us to do what the constitution requires and we should fund projects that follow the science. Denying climate change and stopping renewable energy projects is not what the people of Minnesota want. Republicans need to wake up and stop this nonsense.”
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South Saint Paul) is the DFL-Lead on the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance. Rep. Hansen has authored nation leading legislation on pollinator and environmental protections.
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