Natural Resources Fund

The Natural Resources Fund is made up of twelve accounts:

  • Water Recreation
  • Snowmobile
  • All Terrain Vehicle
  • Land Acquisition
  • Non-game Wildlife
  • Off-Highway Motorcycle
  • Off-Road Vehicle
  • State Parks and Trails (Lottery in-lieu-of-sales tax)
  • State Parks Account
  • Metro Regional Parks (Lottery in-lieu-of-sales tax)
  • Local Trail Grants (Lottery in-lieu-of-sales tax)
  • Zoo Grants (Lottery in-lieu-of-sales tax)

Revenues

The DNR will deposit about $43.9 million to the Natural Resources Fund in fiscal years 2004 and 2005. Receipts are from the registration of recreational vehicles (watercraft, snowmobiles, ATVs, and off-road vehicles); park permits, camping fees and the sale of parks merchandise; the watercraft surcharge; non-game donations (chickadee check-off on the state tax form); license issuing fees; and interest income.

In-lieu-of-sales tax on Lottery tickets, $18.4 million for the two years, will be deposited to four of the accounts listed above.

In addition, $30.5 million in gas tax will be transferred to the Watercraft, Snowmobile, ATV, Off-Highway Motorcycle and Off-Road Vehicle accounts. This is the tax on gasoline used to operate boats, snowmobiles, ATVs and off-road vehicles.

Expenditures

Authorized expenditures from the within the Natural Resources Fund are for programs and purposes directly related to how revenues are generated. The tax receipts from the sale of Lottery tickets are spent on state parks and trails, a grant to the metro regional park system, grants for local trails, and grants to state zoos.

DNR's proposed budget, FY2004 and 2005 $96.5 million
DNR's current budget, FY2002 and 2003 96.0 million
 
Difference ($.5 million)

The difference of $0.5 million is a reduction of 0.5% in the proposed budget from spending in the current two-year period.

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