Freshwater 2424 Territorial Road Suite B, St. Paul, MN 55114 651.313.5800 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. State Office Building, Room 65 St. Paul, MN 55155 To the Members of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources: As you begin reviewing new proposals and working with many new legislators and a new Executive Branch we would like to reinforce our position on an issue that lingers from last session, the use of Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund dollars for unauthorized purposes. The Freshwater Board of Directors supports constitutionally mandated uses of the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to promote "protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the State's air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources" in line with the Fund's strategic plan and guided by the citizen-input process. We have written letters urging the Legislative and Executive branches to uphold the clear intent of the Fund and oppose uses such as: - substituting for traditional sources of funding - working on hazardous waste, solid waste, municipal treatment facilities and infrastructure projects - funding for other non-natural resources projects Voters approved the dedication of lottery proceeds to this Trust Fund to protect the resources of the State. Worthy projects are presented each year that will help us accomplish those goals. With careful targeting of these funds, we strongly believe the LCCMR review process has the ability to identify projects that will produce measureable progress towards cleaner water to ensure the long-term health of our citizens, ecosystems and the economy. Respectfully, Board Chair Freshwater Society is a nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to value and preserve our freshwater resources. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Whalen, Chair Mike Hanson, Vice Chair Jeremy Duehr, Esq., Treasurer Valery Forbes, Ph. D., Secretary Rick Bateson Todd Bolin Ryan Godfrey, Ph.D . Ryan Hurt Lili McMillan Joan Nephew David Webb Bill Weimer, Esq. Emeritus Directors Richard S. Caldecott, Ph.D. JoEllen Hurr Barb Luikcns, M.D.