Plenty of hype surrounding that huge Powerball jackpot many of us were disappointed we didn't hold the right numbers, but the state of Minnesota is still a winner. Fox Mankato's
Minnesota players set a new record for last night's drawing, generating more than $10.1 million in sales. Although no one in Minnesota has the lucky numbers in last night's record breaking $587 million Powerball drawing the state still benefits from lottery tickets sales including a local organization her at MSU."
Director of Water Resource Center, Shannon Fisher says, "It might be a $2 to buy a Powerball ticket, but a certain percent of that is going to this fund which we can use to develop programs like this."
The Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund gets money from the lottery sales which helps fund worthy environment projects. In 2010 $124,000 went to the Water Resource Center, a program at MSU.
That funding recommended by a group of lawmakers and appointed citizens called the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
Fisher says, "The application process is very rigorous and competitive to get the funding. It could be for private project, government, non-profit that step forward and say we have a good idea and it will help educate, enhance, restore and protect Minnesota resources."
The lottery money flows directly to the website "Ask an Expert." It's the work of Shannon Fisher and his team at MSU in the Water Resource Center. The site helps school groups, conservation organizations and anyone curious learn about the Minnesota River.
Fisher says, "It's not extremely scientific in terms of the average person being able to understand it and I think that's why we're getting a very good response to it and this is the type of thing that without LCCMR's support we would have never accomplished."
With this money coming in the state at least always hits the jackpot.
