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House Research home > Minnesota Government in Brief > Government Functions and Services: Environment
The mission of BWSR is to improve and protect water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners. There are 20 board members of BWSR, 75 staff in the metro area, and eight field offices in Greater Minnesota.
BWSR provides financial, technical, and administrative assistance to local government units, so that state conservation policy is implemented with local priorities in mind. BWSR programs include the following:
These programs are administered locally by the state's soil and water conversation districts (SWCDs), county water planners, watershed districts, metropolitan watershed management organizations, and other local government units.
BWSR is responsible for the implementation of conservation practices that restore impaired waters and protect high-quality lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands by providing grants to local governments to accomplish these goals.
The Clean Water Legacy Act allocated over $16 million in funds for these purposes from 2007 to 2009. The clean water fund, as established by the clean, water, land, and legacy constitutional amendment, allocated over $25 million for these purposes in 2010-2011.
The RIM Reserve conservation easement program improves soil conservation and water quality and provides wildlife habitat on privately owned lands. Since 1986, BWSR has enrolled 220,000 acres in about 5,500 easements at a cost of $194 million in state funds, leveraging $220 million in federal funds.
($177 million in FY 2010-11, including bonding authorization)
Originally published January 2011.