Since 1991, when the Minnesota Lottery began, about $258 million has been spent from the Environmental Trust Fund, which is funded by lottery proceeds. That averages about $14.3 million a year over 18 years. In contrast, the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, if passed next week, would generate about $270 million yearly over the next 25 years.
Here's where the lottery expenditures have gone:
• Recreation, including parks and trails and history: $92 million
• Fish and wildlife habitat and critical lands: $85 million
• Water resources: $26 million
• Environmental education: $10 million
• Agriculture and natural resource-based industries: $10 million
• Land use and natural resource information: $23 million
• Energy: $5 million
