Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder has announced the awarding of $1,890,250 in 67 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.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder announced today that the state is awarding $1 million to support 52 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."

Representatives from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the City of Grand Island are planning an information session on June 23 to meet with the public and present information regarding groundwater issues in the east Grand Island area. The information session will be held at the Grand Island City Hall, 100 E. First Street.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is inviting proposals for source water protection projects. Approximately $100,000 in grant funding is available to political subdivisions that operate a public water system serving a population of 10,000 or less.

Assistance has been available since 2003, when money set aside from the State Revolving Loan Fund became available to provide grants for source water protection projects. Most source water protection activities that address drinking water quality, quantity, security, and/or education are eligible for grant funding.

Omaha -- Citizens and environmental stakeholders in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area will be engaged to reduce ozone in agreements signed by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agreements were signed July 6 during a news conference at the Omaha City Council Chambers.

The state has issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Red Willow Reservoir in Frontier County, and an alert continues at Johnson Lake in Gosper County, which was first placed on alert last week. A health alert has ended at Swan Creek Lake 5A near Tobias in Saline County.

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder today announced the awarding of $1,442,902 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 $1 million for projects related to tire recycling were previously announced in June.

The state has discontinued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Johnson Lake in Gosper County, after the lake had two consecutive weeks of low readings for toxic blue-green algae.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a public hearing regarding a proposal to exempt a portion of the Chadron Aquifer north of Crawford. This portion of the aquifer is associated with a proposed expansion area for the Crow Butte Resources (CBR) uranium mining facility. The proposed exemption would prevent that designated area of the aquifer from being used as a drinking water source in the future.

The artwork of 13 Nebraska students will be featured in the 2011 “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.