Mike Linder, Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, has assumed a leadership role in a national association of state environmental directors. He assumed the position of President of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) effective January 27, 2009.

Press Release Issued by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Decision on Nebraska's Impaired Waters List

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

(Kansas City, Kan., Feb. 3, 2009) - EPA has released its decision on Nebraska's 2006/2008 list of impaired waters.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has $400,000 available in federal grants to reduce diesel emissions in Nebraska. NDEQ is now seeking proposals from private and public organizations who would use these funds to retrofit diesel vehicles with emission control equipment.

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced how anticipated American Response and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding would be distributed for wastewater-related projects in Nebraska. Funding decisions were made in consultation with the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee.

Note: The charts and statistics in this news release have subsequently been updated. For revised information, go to NDEQ’s Recovery pages and select Underground Storage Tanks, located at: http://deq.ne.gov/Recover.nsf/pages/LUST.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality is reminding those who store fertilizers and pesticides in bulk that they may be subject to secondary containment and load-out requirements.

With the current economic conditions, those who use or re-sell fertilizers and pesticides are looking to economy of scale to help keep profitability in the picture. As a result, many brokers and applicators are buying these chemicals in larger and larger quantities.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality is convening four meetings from late March through mid-April to explain how American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for diesel emission reduction will be used in Nebraska. The meetings will provide information on grant opportunities available.

Staff from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) will participate in a public information session in Kimball on April 16 to discuss the proposed renewal of the air and waste permits for the Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. (CHESI) hazardous waste storage and incinerator facility. The information session will be in conjunction with a meeting of the CHESI Citizens Monitoring Committee. A representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 is also scheduled to attend the information session.

The Nebraska Wildlife Protectors’ Association, in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, is again offering a reward for information resulting in charges filed against anyone illegally and intentionally dumping or discharging wastes into the Shell Creek watershed in Platte County and surrounding area. This is the second year the reward has been offered.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is requesting proposals for grant awards to private and public organizations for diesel emission reduction activities. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has awarded NDEQ a $1.73 million grant, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), aimed at reducing diesel emissions in the state of Nebraska. NDEQ will provide funding assistance to cover up to 100% of the cost for purchasing and installing diesel emission reduction equipment.