Rundown or abandoned structures can present a safety hazard, be an eyesore, and impede economic development in some areas. Property owners or communities seeking an expedient solution to removing these troubled properties often resolve the problem through the use of permitted fire training burns, a practice which can yield valuable, life-saving experience for Nebraska fire departments.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that nearly one in four households depend on septic systems or other types of onsite systems for wastewater treatment. To protect surface water and groundwater, as well as public health and welfare, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy’s Onsite Wastewater Program regulates these systems through Title 124 – Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems.

Clean drinking water is a critical resource that Nebraskans depend on every day, and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is committed to preserving and protecting clean drinking water throughout the state. One of the ways the department achieves that is through the certification and training of public water system operators under the regulations of Title 179 – Public Water Systems.

LINCOLN, Neb. — On March 1, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first phase of its new $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program, which is among the first of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grant programs to be administered by EPA. The CPRG Program will award funds to state and local governments to develop and implement climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has remaining funds available for Nebraska schools and licensed child care facilities to sample for lead in their drinking water. All public, parochial, and private schools from pre-K through high school, and public and in-home child care facilities qualify.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is reminding private well owners that the application deadline of March 31 is quickly approaching for the Private Well Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program.

As Nebraskans begin spring cleaning, some may tackle clearing out their cupboards, closets, basements, attics, garages, or sheds. And that means many may find materials they’re not sure what to do with, including cleaning products; pesticides and herbicides; pool chemicals; oil-based paints; vehicle fluids; or hobby materials like adhesives and solvents.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Department of Health, the Douglas County Health Department and support from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are providing the latest forecasts and information regarding the impact prescribed fires and wildfires have on air quality. There are a multitude of variables that factor into any smoke advisory prediction: the weather, the number of acres being burned and the fuel load on those acres, to name a few.

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has sent invitations to schools across the state, seeking student entries for the 2024 “Nebraska: Don’t Waste It!” environmental calendar. The contest is open to all Nebraska students from grades K through 12, and the submission deadline is May 31, 2023.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has extended the Private Well Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program.

The initial application period opened January 1, 2023 and closed March 31, 2023. Upon reaching the initial close date of March 31, 2023, NDEE received 92 applications requesting $211,071 of the $1.2 million allocated to the program, so funding remains available.