Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder has announced the awarding of $1,765,776 in 55 grants for litter cleanup, recycling, and public education programs and activities. Funds for the Litter Reduction and Recycling Grant Program are generated from a fee charged to certain manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of products that commonly contribute to litter.

“Recycling and litter reduction are important issues to all Nebraskans,” Linder said. “These grants to local programs and communities will help us all meet our goal of protecting natural resources in our state.”

Examples of this year’s projects include:
 

• Keep Alliance Beautiful was awarded $34,590 to fund the “Pack it In, Pack it Out” program to clean litter from trails. The funding will also be used to make the Alliance's Heritage Days event litter free.
• Keep Kimball Beautiful was awarded $40,362 to purchase a vertical baler and collection totes to increase the ability to recycle cardboard and promote recycling by the community. A business in Kimball has devised a bin cover that is highly resistant to wind, a concern in the western part of Nebraska. The lids will be used with their new bins to reduce windblown litter.
• Keep Norfolk Beautiful was awarded $18,928 to fund programs for Norfolk’s public and parochial elementary schools. Students are taught about helping the environment and then participate in community cleanup events. Norfolk’s High School students learn about pollution prevention and participate in Community Service Leadership Projects.
• Keep Loup Basin Beautiful was awarded $34,966 for educational and civic programs. This Keep America Beautiful affiliate delivers programming to school children, community clubs and civic organizations in a nine county area. The Keep Loup Basin Beautiful area includes; Wheeler, Valley, Sherman, Loup, Howard, Greeley, Garfield, Custer and Blaine counties. Many events are successfully completed by groups receiving program information about fun and practical ways to clean up litter and recycle.

Below is a listing of all grantees for 2013, listed by type of grant and project name. Also attached below is a table the lists projects by city, and provides more details regarding the purpose of each grant:

Recycling Grant Awards: Angels on Wheels, Inc., Omaha, $57,483; Cass County, Plattsmouth, $41,536; Firstar Fiber Corporation, Omaha, $83,188; Green Future, Inc., Lincoln, $55,671; Green Recycling Enterprises, LLC DBA Second Nature Media, Omaha, $34,238; Keep Alliance Beautiful, Alliance, $44,755; Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Beatrice, $1,656; Keep Chadron Beautiful, Chadron, $5,800; Keep Chadron Beautiful, Chadron, $18,089; Keep Columbus Beautiful, Columbus, $1,400; Keep Kimball Beautiful, Kimball, $40,362; Keep Lexington Beautiful, Lexington, $9,619; Keep Nebraska Beautiful, Lincoln, $82,283; Keep North Platte-Lincoln County Beautiful, North Platte, $60,900; Keep Schuyler Beautiful, Schuyler, $44,940; Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful, Scottsbluff, $18,139; Lincoln Electric System, Lincoln, $95,000; Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Lincoln, $38,850; PAKS Developmental Services, Ogallala, $38,635; Southwest Nebraska Solid Waste Agency, Imperial, $20,000; Upper Loup Natural Resources District, Thedford, $4,701; WasteCap Nebraska, Lincoln, $90,055; WasteCap Nebraska, Lincoln, $16,980.

Cleanup Grant Awards: East Central District Health Department, Columbus, $3,175; Educational Service Unit #1, Wakefield, $6,000; Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Beatrice, $10,901; Keep Chadron Beautiful, Chadron, $6,477; Keep Keith County Beautiful, Ogallala, $1,250; Keep Lincoln-Lancaster County Beautiful, Lincoln, $19,000; Keep North Platte-Lincoln County Beautiful, North Platte, $24,762; Keep Omaha Beautiful, Omaha, $18,000; Keep Schuyler Beautiful, Schuyler, $500; Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful, Scottsbluff, $18,822; Steinauer Community Club, Steinauer, $1,050.

Public Education Grant Awards: City of Lincoln, Solid Waste Operations, Lincoln, $5,800; Grand Island Area Clean Community System, Grand Island, $61,014; Keep Alliance Beautiful, Alliance, $34,590; Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Beatrice, $37,213; Keep Cass County Beautiful, Nehawka, $17,000; Keep Chadron Beautiful, Chadron, $50,250; Keep Columbus Beautiful, Columbus, $22,637; Keep Fremont Beautiful, Fremont, $74,871; Keep Keith County Beautiful, Ogallala, $22,575; Keep Kimball Beautiful, Kimball, $13,702; Keep Lexington Beautiful, Lexington, $14,478; Keep Lincoln-Lancaster County Beautiful, Lincoln, $84,375; Keep Loup Basin Beautiful, Burwell, $34,966; Keep Norfolk Beautiful - NCIC, Norfolk, $18,928; Keep North Platte-Lincoln County Beautiful, North Platte, $42,651; Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful, South Sioux City, $34,880; Keep Omaha Beautiful, Omaha, $61,400; Keep Schuyler Beautiful, Schuyler, $21,439; Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful, Scottsbluff, $50,231; Keep Sidney Beautiful , Sidney, $28,559; Product Stewardship Institute, Inc., $20,000.

Below is a table that lists grantees by city, and provides descriptions of the projects.

(See attached file: 2013 LRRP grantees by town.pdf)
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