The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is announcing the acceptance of the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA) Plan by EPA on October 13th, 2016. The BGMA Plan is the first groundwater-focused plan in the nation to address nonpoint source pollution. The plan is the result of a collaborative effort to address groundwater nitrate contamination between NDEQ and four of Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs): Lewis and Clark, Lower Elkhorn, Lower Niobrara, and the Upper Elkhorn.

The 2016 NPPD/NDEQ Power Summit will be held November 16, 2016, at the Lincoln Firefighter’s Reception Hall (241 Victory Lane), Lincoln. For more information about the summit, see the agenda below.
 

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality announced the selection of nine Nebraska schools that will receive rebates under the Nebraska Clean Diesel Rebate Program. The rebates will be used to help the schools replace older school buses with new buses that have certified cleaner-burning engines. This funding is made possible by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State Clean Diesel Grant program.

Nov. 22, 2016 – An Addendum to Nebraska's 2016 Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan is available for public comment, through November 30, 2016. This addendum proposes to establish a new, source-oriented, ambient air monitoring site for SO2 at OPPD ballpark on Pershing Drive in Omaha.

The Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has scheduled the second meeting of the statewide LB1101 Solid Waste Management Study Advisory Committee on December 13th in Kearney. The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, 110 S. 2nd Ave., and the public is welcome to attend.

Oct. 23, 2016 – The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is initiating its triennial review of Title 117 – Nebraska Surface Water Quality Standards as required by the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). As part of the review, NDEQ will hold a public hearing in Lincoln on December 20.

December 16, 2016 – Applications for 2017 Waste Reduction and Recycling Grants will be available online from January 4, 2017 through 4 p.m. CST February 1, 2017. Applications must be submitted using the online process.

For more information about the Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant application process, go to https://dee.nebraska.gov/forms/publications-grants-forms/was066.
 

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Jim Macy has announced the awarding of $1,306,370 in 53 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. The program has been providing grants annually since 1979. The Department received nearly $3.6 million in eligible grant requests; an increase of over $900,000 from last year.

Feb. 28, 2018 – The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s draft 2018 Water Quality Integrated Report is now available for public review and comment.

March 8, 2018 -- The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the University of Nebraska, and Nebraska Game and Parks have joined together to offer a lake management workshop for private land owners. The workshops are free and open to everyone who makes decisions for and about lakes and ponds, or anyone who wants to learn more about protecting them. If you have ever had an algae bloom, fish kill, murky water, or just want to know what’s going on in the lake, this workshop is for you. There is no cost to attend these workshops, but reservations are required.