More than $300 million in new investments in Minnesota’s outdoors gets going this week with the start of a new state fiscal year, conservation leaders said. Southeast Minnesota will benefit with more than $1 million granted to Trout Unlimited for restoration of the region’s signature coldwater trout habitat.

“The $1 million invested in trout habitat will pay huge dividends for the region and state,” said Jeff Broberg, president of the Minnesota Trout Association. “Restoration of trout habitat can double or triple fish populations. That’s good for tourism and outdoor recreation and the local economy.”

Southeast Minnesota will also see results from $500,000 granted to the Minnesota Land Trust to secure easements on privately-owned blufflands.

Approved by voters last November, the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment becomes effective July 1, when the state begins collecting revenue from an earmarked 3/8-cent sales tax. The Legislature appropriated $300 million from the amendment for the next two fiscal years before its adjournment, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the funding bill into law.

In three news conferences in Duluth, the Twin Cities and Rochester celebrating the first year of projects and programs funded by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, leaders noted local projects that they said show the measure will help communities statewide:

In Duluth, leaders highlighted $750,000 from the Amendment that will help attract federal Great Lakes restoration money for cleanup of toxic sediments in the St. Louis River, and $36 million from the Amendment to purchase easements on about 187,000 acres of northern Minnesota forestland.

In the Twin Cities, leaders pointed to a piece of the $151 million approved for clean water projects that will help monitor and cleanup impaired stretches of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and Lake Pepin, and the statewide benefits of $87 million appropriated for fishing and hunting habitat.

“The Constitutional amendment spells out what the money is dedicated to, and over the long term we in the conservation and environmental community are committed to making sure the money stays on track. This is a good start,” said Paul Aasen, interim executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy.

“In a year of discord in the Capitol, legislators and the Governor were able to come together on conservation,” said Paul Austin, executive director of Conservation Minnesota.

“This first batch of clean water, recreation and habitat projects funded by the Amendment proves that the voters are getting a good return on their investment. It will result in tangible benefits.”

The first year of funding may be the easiest, said Steve Morse, executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership.

“There was a backlog of important projects awaiting funding and the selections were solid.  The real challenge lies ahead of us. We must keep focused on the big picture and vision of what’s best for our Great Outdoors over the next 24 years and not allow ourselves to be distracted from this goal. We will work diligently together to Protect Minnesota’s Future for our children and grandchildren.”