Article XV, § 4b — Use of net proceeds from state lottery for fish and wildlife, watershed and habitat protection

(1) In each biennium the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate all of the moneys in the natural resources subaccount of the parks and natural resources fund established under section 4 of this Article for the uses allowed in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, and to accomplish all of the following: (a) Protect and improve water quality in Oregon's rivers, lakes, and streams by restoring natural watershed functions or stream flows; (b) Secure long-term protection for lands and waters that provide significant habitats for native fish and wildlife; (c) Restore and maintain habitats needed to sustain healthy and resilient populations of native fish and wildlife; (d) Maintain the diversity of Oregon's plants, animals and ecosystems; (e) Involve people in voluntary actions to protect, restore and maintain the ecological health of Oregon's lands and waters; and (f) Remedy the conditions that limit the health of fish and wildlife, habitats and watershed functions in greatest need of conservation. (2) In each biennium the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate no less than sixty-five percent of the moneys in the natural resources subaccount to one state agency, and that agency shall distribute those moneys as grants to entities other than state or federal agencies for projects that achieve the outcomes specified in subsection (1) of this section. However, if in any biennium the amount of net proceeds deposited in the parks and natural resources fund created under section 4 of this Article increases by more than fifty percent above the amount deposited in the 2009-2011 biennium, the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate no less than seventy percent of the moneys in the natural resources subaccount to one state agency, and that agency shall distribute those moneys as grants to entities other than state or federal agencies for projects that achieve the outcomes specified in subsection (1) of this section. In addition, these moneys shall be used only to: (a) Acquire from willing owners interests in land or water that will protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitats, which interests may include but are not limited to fee interests, conservation easements or leases; (b) Carry out projects to protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitats; (c) Carry out projects to protect or restore natural watershed functions to improve water quality or stream flows; and (d) Carry out resource assessment, planning, design and engineering, technical assistance, monitoring and outreach activities necessary for projects funded under paragraphs (a) through (c) of this subsection. (3) In each biennium the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate that portion of the natural resources subaccount not appropriated under subsection (2) of this section to support all of the following activities: (a) Develop, implement or update state conservation strategies or plans to protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitats or to protect or restore natural watershed functions to improve water quality or stream flows; (b) Develop, implement or update regional or local strategies or plans that are consistent with the state strategies or plans described in paragraph (a) of this subsection; (c) Develop, implement or update state strategies or plans to prevent, detect, control or eradicate invasive species that threaten native fish or wildlife habitats or that impair water quality; (d) Support local delivery of programs or projects, including watershed education activities, that protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitats or watersheds; (e) Pay the state agency costs of administering subsection (2) of this section, which costs shall not be paid out of the moneys available for grants under subsection (2) of this section; and (f) Enforce fish and wildlife and habitat protection laws and regulations.