Wildlife trust director urges December meeting as large project bill, seeks $50 million supplemental

Bob Budd, executive director of the Wildlife Natural Resource Trust, told the Select Committee on Travel, Recreation and Wildlife that the trust expects to bring a large project bill to the legislature and that the select committee will need to meet in early December to process it. “We will have a large project bill,” Budd said, and he asked staff to start drafting language with Legislative Service Office support so the committee can act before the Trust’s statutory window closes.

Budd emphasized the program’s recent activity and lingering funding gaps. He said the trust received a near‑record number of applications this spring and has already allocated the funds awarded in 2025; he also confirmed he submitted a supplemental budget request for $50,000,000 to address unmet restoration needs. “I did put in a supplemental budget request for 50,000,000, to pick up the 50 that we didn't get last time,” Budd said. The director framed the supplemental request as a way to maintain momentum on fire recovery, invasive‑species control and floodplain restoration before projects regress.

The committee agreed to direct LSO to work with Budd on a draft large project bill for consideration in December. Representative Provenza moved the directive; Representative Ottman seconded it and the motion passed by voice vote. Committee members pressed Budd on how any supplemental would be targeted and asked for more detailed budget and project lists ahead of the December meeting.