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.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder announced today that the state is awarding more than $2.5 million to support 126 tire recycling and cleanup projects across the state.

"Nebraskans pay a $1 fee for every new tire they purchase," said Linder. "These grants put that money into use locally to help manage scrap tires. We like to see the highest possible beneficial use of these old tires, and these projects help us reach that goal."

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is inviting proposals for source water protection projects. Approximately $138,000 in grant funding is available to units and subunits of government, education institutions, and non-profit organizations to carry out projects that will help protect the state’s drinking water sources.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is announcing an extension of the deadline for public and private organizations to submit proposals for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant awards for diesel emission reduction activities. The new deadline for submitting proposals is 4:00 p.m. CDT July 31, 2009. NDEQ is extending the deadline to give potential applicants additional time to develop grant proposals.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder today announced the awarding of $2,027,679 in grants for waste reduction and recycling projects. The grants are available through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant Fund. This fund is generated by a fee on solid waste disposed of in landfills (disposal fee), an annual retail business sales fee (business fee), and a fee assessed on the sale of new tires for motor vehicles (tire fee). Tire fee grants totaling over $2.5 million for projects related to tire recycling were previously announced in May.

The artwork of 13 Nebraska students will be featured in the 2010 “Nebraska: Don’t Waste It!” environmental calendar. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and focuses on the importance of waste reduction, recycling and litter cleanup.

Starting in late September, visitors to Lake Ogallala will see some big changes taking place, including channelization work which will improve trout and other fish habitat. During this renovation period, (through late November, and resuming in February and March) water levels at the lake will be significantly lower, and recreational opportunities may be temporarily affected.