Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder has announced the awarding of $1,499,901 in 59 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.

Governor Pete Ricketts has designated the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) to administer funds allocated to the state from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. NDEQ will now begin seeking input from the public on the development of a plan to best use these funds to benefit Nebraska. Nebraska is expected to receive approximately $12.25 million from the VW Trust.

The Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has scheduled the third meeting of the statewide LB1101 Solid Waste Management Study Advisory Committee on October 10h in Kearney. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 510 Talmadge St., Kearney, and the public is welcome to attend.

Two meetings have been scheduled in mid-October to discuss solid waste issues in Nebraska and seek public input as the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) develops a report to present to the Nebraska Legislature. Meetings will be held Oct. 17 in Bridgeport and Oct. 19 in Lincoln.

LB1101, passed in the 2016 legislative session, directs NDEQ to prepare a study to examine the solid waste management programs implemented by the Department.

Two meetings have been scheduled in mid-October to invite public discussion of the development of a plan to use funds allocated to the state from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. Meetings will be held Oct. 16 in Lincoln and Oct. 18 in North Platte.

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

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality will host a public information session from 5-7 p.m. May 10 at the Lancaster County Extension Offices located at 444 Cherrycreek Road. The purpose of the information session will be to discuss environmental cleanup work at the West Haymarket Redevelopment Site North.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a comment period and public hearing regarding a proposed Class III Underground Injection Control Permit submitted by Crow Butte Resources Inc. This permit is associated with a proposed expansion area for the Crow Butte uranium mining facility, in an area north of Crawford that is referred to as North Trend (see map below).

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality will conduct a public hearing and information session on June 20 regarding the agency’s proposal to issue, with change, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the City of Lincoln-Ashland Potable Water Treatment Plant (PWTP).

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder announced today that the state is awarding $1.15 million to support 63 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."