Amid the flurry of big-ticket budget bills and spreadsheets that have overtaken the Capitol in the past week, the comparatively puny environmental budget bills moving through the Legislature have attracted little attention in most quarters.

The Sierra Club's 2009-2010 scorecard for Minnesota legislators shows a lopsided record between Republicans and DFLers. Greater Minnesota DFLers also often scored lower than urban DFLers.

A House and Senate conference committee this evening reconciled their differences over funding for land acquisition paid for by proceeds from the Minnesota Lottery.

Two conference committees that are debating bills that spend dedicated funding on environmental projects are at loggerheads.