LINCOLN –The board of the Nebraska Environmental Trust met Thursday but did not lift a temporary pause on awarding about $18 million in conservation and wildlife grants, even as an official assured groups their funding will ultimately be distributed. The pause was put in place amid uncertainty surrounding Gov. Jim Pillen’s proposal to transfer $40.7 million from the Trust to help close the state’s budget gap and fund other projects, prompting concern from grantees that the Trust’s mission could be undermined. Critics, including conservation groups, fear the budget move could jeopardize the Trust’s ability to support environmental work and drain funds intended for competitive grants.

Trust leadership, including board chair Mark Quandahl, said the money for the grants “is coming” but that the pause is intended to ensure the Trust has sufficient funds before dispersing multi-year awards, and they are seeking a legal opinion on potential obligations. Some Trust board members, and advocates for a constitutional amendment to protect the Trust’s funds from future budget sweeps, expressed worry that using lottery-derived Trust dollars for state budget holes could weaken the agency’s long-term ability to support conservation projects across Nebraska.

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