PA HB1686

Establishes the Public Natural Resources Trust Fund in the State Treasury, funded by oil and gas lease rents and royalties exceeding $70,000,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2025-2026

Increases the annual transfer from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Environmental Stewardship Fund from $20,000,000 to $35,000,000 beginning in fiscal year 2025-2026

Restricts disbursements from the trust fund until the balance exceeds $700,000,000; after that threshold, only interest income may be spent while preserving principal

Allocates trust fund revenues with 57% to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (split between community recreation grants and state park/forest projects) and 43% to the Environmental Stewardship Fund (for DEP projects and farmland preservation up to $15,000,000 annually)

Permits trust fund expenditures only for specified conservation purposes including public land conservation, watershed protection, acid mine drainage abatement, habitat restoration, abandoned well plugging, and farmland preservation, with annual audits and public reporting required