State Panel to Kick Off Hearings on Spending Lottery Money

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A state panel next week kicks off six days of hearings on how to spend $46 million in state lottery money and related funds on environmental, conservation and other projects.

It's the main annual task for the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. It's a panel of 17 state senators, representatives and private citizens who recommend to the Legislature how to spend money from the state's Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. That money comes from Minnesota Lottery proceeds and the fund's investment income.

The commission has deemed 97 proposals totaling $70 million, out of 186 originally submitted, worthy of further consideration.

Project leaders will start making their pitches to the commission Tuesday. The Department of Natural Resources and University of Minnesota are among the biggest requesters.