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M.L. 2026 ENRTF Recommendations

2026 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Recommendations

As of July 18, 2025, the Legislative‐Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) has selected 109 proposals totaling approximately $103 million to recommend to the 2026 Minnesota Legislature for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). The amount available for appropriation from the ENRTF for FY 2027 is $103,326,000. In response to LCCMR’s 2026 Request for Proposal (RFP), 400 proposals requesting a total of approximately $359 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.

Check the LCCMR schedule for the most up-to-date information and important process dates.


Visit the 2026 Proposal & Funding Process Main Page for additional information.


Print-ready PDF list of 2026 proposals - listed by category with project summaries (19-pages).

Print-ready PDF list of 2026 proposals - listed by category without project summaries (9-pages).

Summary and process of the 2026 proposals recommended by the LCCMR.

Viewing Proposals

  • Click on the "Proposal ID" of the proposal to view the full proposal.
  • To find specific proposals 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.
  • Hyperlinks within the proposal to proposal attachments may not work for everyone. If you wish for a copy of a proposal attachment that is not already included in the PDF, please send a request to LCCMR staff.


Overall Topic Area $ Recommended Percentage of Total Recommended Number Recommended Percentage of Number Recommended
Resiliency $10,641,000 10.30% 10 9.17%
Water $17,014,000 16.47% 20 18.35%
Education and Outdoor Recreation $37,806,000 36.59% 40 36.70%
Fish and Wildlife $18,750,000 18.15% 19 17.43%
Energy $773,000 0.75% 2 1.83%
Land $17,964,000 17.39% 17 15.60%
Administration* $378,000 0.37% 1 0.92%
Total $103,326,000 100% 109 100%

*Includes commission buffer. The buffer is for mistakes made during the allocation process. If the buffer is not needed, the commission may either allocate it to another proposal or it will be allocated to the Emerging Issues Account later this year.


Fund Source $ Amount
FY 2026 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) $103,326,000
Total $ $103,326,000

Proposal ID Project Title Recommended Organization Project Manager Region*
Resiliency (10 Recommendations = $10,641,000)
2026-085 Community Resiliency through AmeriCorps $3,312,000 ServeMinnesota Sharon Delcambre Statewide
2026-155 Preparing Resilient Communities with Model Land Use Ordinances $468,000 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Kristin Mroz Risse Statewide
2026-207 Resilient and Biodiverse Community Spaces $612,000 Board of Water and Soil Resources Dan Shaw Statewide
2026-218 Northwoods and Waters Community Resilience Collaborative $1,220,000 Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Joshua Bergstad NE
2026-282 Protect Community Forests for Community Resiliency $2,603,000 MN DNR, Forestry Division Valerie McClannahan Statewide
2026-298 Identifying Flooding Hazards on Mille Lacs Tribal Lands $800,000 Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Charles Lippert NE
2026-464 Advancing Dehydration Technologies for Resilient Minnesota Food Systems $300,000 U of MN, College of Science and Engineering Natasha Wright Statewide
2026-508 Climate-Smart Counties and Communities: Collaborative Resiliency Solutions $827,000 U of MN, Institute on the Environment Sabine Engel Central, NE, NW, SE, SW
2026-528 Mahnomen EAB Preparation Project $62,000 City of Mahnomen Taylor Guenther NW
2026-544 Sustainable Food Security, Ecosystem Restoration, and Indigenous Empowerment $437,000 U of MN, Duluth Wenqing Zhang Statewide
Subtotal $10,641,000      
Water (20 Recommendations = $17,014,000)
2026-034 Statewide Risk Estimates for Contaminants of Emerging Concern $175,000 University of St. Thomas Dalma Martinovic-Weigelt Statewide
2026-055 Eliminating Phenolic Compounds from Water Using Enzyme Filter $300,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Hau Zhao Statewide
2026-070 Vadnais Lake: Nature-Based Recreation and Drinking Water Protection $2,842,000 City of Vadnais Heights Jim Hauth Metro
2026-088 Twin Cities PBS Almanac Environment and Natural Resources Desk $632,000 Twin Cities Public Television Kari Kennedy Statewide
2026-116 Studying Dam Removal Feasibility for the Mississippi Gorge $923,000 Friends of the Mississippi River Colleen O'Connor Toberman Metro
2026-124 Protecting Minnesota’s Waters from Plastic- and Rubber-Derived Chemicals $418,000 U of MN, College of Science and Engineering William Arnold Statewide
2026-164 Public Toolbox to Forecast Toxic Cyanobacteria Blooms $509,000 U of MN, Duluth - NRRI Chan Lan Chun Statewide
2026-169 PFAS in Precipitation: Assessing a Critical Statewide Threat $910,000 U of MN, Duluth - Sea Grant Alexander Frie Statewide
2026-203 Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Karst Aquifers $458,000 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Metropolitan State University Benjamin Maas Statewide
2026-210 Ash Recovery and Recycling Center $1,177,000 Otter Tail County Nicholas Leonard Central, NW
2026-248 PFAS and Microplastics: Potential Impacts of Environmental Co-Occurrence $721,000 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency David Duffey Statewide
2026-331 Brookdale Park Shingle Creek Restoration and Access Improvements $409,000 City of Brooklyn Park Mitch Robinson Metro
2026-382 Determining Fracture Characteristics for Karst Groundwater Flow Modeling $375,000 U of MN, College of Science and Engineering Qizhi He Statewide
2026-424 Restoring Wild Rice Waters: Sulfate and Mercury Treatment $727,000 White Iron Chain of Lakes Association Dave Holt NE
2026-447 Cheap Portable Sensor to Detect PFAS in Water $357,000 U of MN, College of Science and Engineering Tianhong Cui Statewide
2026-473 Geologic Atlases for Water Resource Management $1,275,000 U of MN, MN Geological Survey Barbara Lusardi Statewide
2026-486 Mitigating Short-Chain Forever Chemicals for a PFAS-Free Minnesota $299,000 U of MN, College of Science and Engineering Peter Bruggeman Statewide
2026-542 Anoka Rum River Dam Reconstruction and Modification Project $3,110,000 City of Anoka Ben Nelson Metro
2026-552 Lake Superior River Watch $404,000 Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Courtney Kowalczak NE
2026-563 Red Lake Nation Long-Term Continuous Monitoring Buoys $993,000 Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians Mindy Phillips NW
Subtotal $17,014,000      
Education and Outdoor Recreation (40 Recommendations = $37,806,000)
2026-002 CMSM 2026 Proposal $300,000 Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota Crystal Olson Statewide
2026-010 Cultivate, Connect, and Train Minnesota's Young Conservation Scientists $538,000 U of MN, Landscape Arboretum David Remucal Statewide
2026-013 Native Fish Exhibits Transforming Aquatic Education in Minnesota $299,000 Headwaters Science Center Lee Furuseth NW
2026-027 Inspiring and Connecting the Next Generations with Nature $3,085,000 YMCA of the North Beth Becker Statewide
2026-039 River Bend Nature Center's Inclusive Interpretive Plan Implementation $293,000 River Bend Nature Center Brad Bourn SE
2026-065 Fostering Environmental Stewardship through Art $298,000 Watermark Art Center Lori Forshee-Donnay Central, NE, NW
2026-080 Increasing Pollinator Conservation Action Through Education and Engagement $501,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Elaine Evans Statewide
2026-086 Flyway Fellows: Engaging Teachers in Bird Migration Education $362,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Robert Blair Statewide
2026-093 Minnesota Community Schoolyards $1,343,000 The Trust for Public Land Anna Callahan Statewide
2026-099 Bringing Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation to K-12 Schools $192,000 Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center Bryan Wood Statewide
2026-102 Improving Trail Accessibility for Minnesotans at Osprey Wilds $25,000 Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center Bryan Wood Statewide
2026-115 Duluth Traverse Accessibility and Sustainability Improvements $85,000 Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores Ansel Schimpff Statewide
2026-141 Hardwood Creek Regional Trail Extension $1,244,000 Washington County Andrea Rehm Metro
2026-165 College-School Collaboration to Restore Campuses and Activate Stewardship $199,000 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato Kimberly Musser SE, SW
2026-177 Urban Farming Education to Increase Urban Environmental Stewardship $300,000 East Phillips Neighborhood Institute Daniel Schmidt Metro
2026-182 A State Trail System for 21st-Century Minnesota $623,000 Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota Dan Nemes Statewide
2026-221 Mississippi River Water Trail Access in Dayton $464,000 Three Rivers Park District Maggie Heurung Metro
2026-231 YES Connects Students to Outdoors for Youth-Led Sustainability $199,000 Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center Kalley Pratt Statewide
2026-254 Sharing Minnesota's Greatest Environmental Investment Phase II $623,000 Science Museum of Minnesota Joy Hobbs Statewide
2026-258 Diversifying Nature Education Access $438,000 Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Kristopher Lencowski Statewide
2026-260 Cultivating Conservation Leaders through Education and Wilderness Experiences $1,252,000 Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Alison Nyenhuis Statewide
2026-267 LHRP Natural Resources Restoration and Sustainable Trails Improvements $2,126,000 Dakota County Tony Wotzka Metro
2026-287 Minnesota State Trails Development $4,943,000 MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division Kent Skaar Statewide
2026-288 Tettegouche State Park Entrance Bridge Replacement $3,674,000 MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division Kent Skaar Statewide
2026-293 Expanding Adaptive Outdoor Recreation Opportunities Around the BWCA $996,000 Adaptive Wilderness Within Reach Jill Leary Statewide
2026-302 Engaging Saint Paul Youth in Meaningful Restoration Work $300,000 Urban Roots MN David Woods Metro
2026-304 Expanding and Enhancing Environmental Education through Partnerships $550,000 Belwin Conservancy Katie Bloome Metro
2026-306 Greater Fountain Lake Aquatic and Trail Accessibility Enhancements $1,162,000 Shell Rock River Watershed District Courtney Phillips SE
2026-313 Local Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas Grant Programs $3,833,000 MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division Jenni Bubke Statewide
2026-348 Lake Marion Greenway – Ritter Farm to Dodd Blvd $1,797,000 City of Lakeville Joe Masiarchin Metro
2026-355 Restored Bluff and Trail at Owámniyómni $2,385,000 Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Kjersti Monson Statewide
2026-367 Minnesota Water Education for K-5 $295,000 Science Museum of Minnesota Omena Giles Statewide
2026-436 Outdoor Learning Center and Trails $250,000 Cook County Schools ISD 166 Chris Lindholm NE
2026-450 Facility Outdoor Improvements $180,000 Veterans on the Lake Eric Mayranen Statewide
2026-519 Classrooms to Careers: Expanding Environmental STEM Pathways $763,000 Science Museum of Minnesota Kelsey Boeff Statewide
2026-520 Outdoor Learning Professional Development for Educators and Administrators $323,000 Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center Peter Smerud Statewide
2026-559 Emerging Conservation Leaders - Expanding the Network $786,000 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust Inc Neal Feeken Metro
2026-571 Lakewood Elementary School Trail Renewal and Community Engagement 2 $288,000 Duluth School District #709 - Lakewood Elementary Darren Sheldon NE
2026-578 Explore Minnesota With COPAL $392,000 Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Accion Latina Carolina Ortiz Statewide
2026-584 Expanding Community Boat Building and Outdoor Experiences $100,000 Urban Boatbuilders Gretchen Wilbrandt Metro
Subtotal $37,806,000      
Fish and Wildlife (19 Recommendations = $18,750,000)
2026-049 Which Cisco are Strongest? Identifying Healthy Populations $674,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Kenneth Zillig Statewide
2026-074 Mapping Leech Lake Vegetation: A Closer Look $478,000 Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Raining White Statewide
2026-089 Salvage Wildlife Phase 2: Roadkill to Scientific Records $673,000 U of MN, Bell Museum of Natural History Keith Barker Statewide
2026-113 Partnership for Resilient Landscapes $2,638,000 Pheasants Forever Inc Josh Pommier Statewide
2026-271 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Impacts on Minnesota Raptors $298,000 U of MN, Raptor Center Dana Franzen-Klein Statewide
2026-318 United in Responding to CWD in Minnesota $2,200,000 U of MN, College of Veterinary Medicine Tiffany Wolf Statewide
2026-332 Survival and Movement of Deer in Minnesota's Prairies $1,000,000 MN DNR, Fish and Wildlife Division Tyler Obermoller Statewide
2026-357 Uniting Minnesota’s Insect Record $932,000 U of MN, Bell Museum of Natural History George Weiblen Statewide
2026-373 Lake Sturgeon Restoration at Great Lakes Aquarium $500,000 Lake Superior Authority Jay Walker NE
2026-399 Wolf Monitoring on the Leech Lake Reservation $295,000 Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tanya Roerick Central
2026-405 Phase II Investigation of Pine and Curry Island SNA $539,000 Lake of the Woods County Anthony Pirkl Statewide
2026-457 Building a Future for Minnesota's At-Risk Butterflies $294,000 Minnesota Zoological Garden Erik Runquist Statewide
2026-498 Advancing Bison Recovery and Stewardship through Statewide Partnership $658,000 Minnesota Zoological Garden Seth Stapleton Statewide
2026-499 Identifying Climate-Resilient Fisheries to Guide Minnesota Lake Management $643,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Gretchen Hansen Statewide
2026-500 Supporting Implementation of Large-Scale Moose Habitat Management $1,054,000 MN DNR, Fish and Wildlife Division Lindsey Shartell Statewide
2026-501 Evaluating Forward-Facing Sonar Impacts on Minnesota Fish $676,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Gretchen Hansen Statewide
2026-506 Incidence of Avian Influenza in Minnesota Forest Birds $234,000 U of MN, Duluth Mark Clark Statewide
2026-532 Regarding Native Fish: Outreach, Engagement, and Citizen Science $270,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Solomon David Statewide
2026-590 Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center $4,694,000 U of MN, MITPPC Robert Venette Statewide
Subtotal $18,750,000      
Energy (2 Recommendations = $773,000)
2026-529 Minnesota Chiller Energy Efficiency and Onsite Energy Generation $298,000 U of MN, School of Public Health Kelsey Klucas Statewide
2026-540 Novel Piezoelectric Energy Converters for Minnesota Waters $475,000 U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory Lian Shen Statewide
Subtotal $773,000      
Land (17 Recommendations = $17,964,000)
2026-035 Lake Minnewashta Regional Park Restoration $392,000 Carver County Martin Walsh Metro
2026-043 Adopt a Flyway: Enhancing Minnesota's Migratory Bird Pitstops $840,000 Audubon Upper Mississippi River Sarah Hewitt Statewide
2026-078 Utilizing Wood Waste and Biochar for Mineland Reclamation $358,000 U of MN, Duluth - NRRI Matthew Aro Statewide
2026-143 Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Curriculum Development and Pilot $454,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Eli Sagor Statewide
2026-166 Updating Land Cover Maps for Enhanced Natural Systems $298,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Bryan Runck Statewide
2026-190 Pollinator Central V: Habitat Improvement with Public Engagement $750,000 Great River Greening Rebecca Tucker Central, Metro, SE
2026-200 Evaluating Soil Health Benefits of Controlled Agricultural Drainage $249,000 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato Mark Bowen Statewide
2026-223 Oak Savanna Restoration for Living Landscapes $1,944,000 Board of Water and Soil Resources Dan Shaw Central, Metro, NW, SE
2026-235 Metropolitan Regional Parks System Land Acquisition Phase 9 $2,414,000 Metropolitan Council Jessica Lee Metro
2026-276 SNA Habitat Enhancement, Public Engagement and Biodiversity Protection $3,996,000 MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division Judy Elbert Statewide
2026-292 Lake Brophy Park Trail Armoring and Trail Improvements $70,000 Big Ole Bike Club Jefferson Brand Statewide
2026-300 Sustainable Land Use on Small-Farms through Collaborative Robots $524,000 U of MN, College of Design Ji Youn Shin Statewide
2026-307 Managing Minnesota’s Forests for Carbon: Tradeoffs and Synergies $300,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Irene De Pellegrin Llorente Statewide
2026-339 Native Prairie Bank-Private Native Prairie Conservation and Outreach $1,758,000 MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division Heidi Wolf Statewide
2026-384 Alleviating PFAS Impacts of Biosolids on Agricultural Lands $300,000 U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Jiwei Zhang Central, Metro
2026-396 Southeast Minnesota Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Initiative $2,817,000 Olmsted County Skip Langer SE
2026-581 Living with Fire in Minnesota Forests $500,000 The Nature Conservancy Robert Bale Central, NE
Subtotal $17,964,000      
Administration (1 Recommendation = $378,000)
2026-497 2026 Contract Agreement Reimbursement $340,000 MN DNR, Grants Unit Katherine Sherman-Hoehn Statewide
  Commission Buffer $38,000 Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources Becca Nash Statewide
Subtotal $378,000      
Total $103,326,000      

*NOTE: Region 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.


2026 Proposal & Funding Process Main Page