The University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ), and the Nebraska Ethanol Board are teaming up for a webinar presentation on the benefits and drawbacks of ethanol facilities choosing to pursue Title V permitting. Ms. Erica Montefusco, Director of Environment, Health, Safety and Security with Green Plains Ethanol Inc. will be discussing the pros and cons of Title V permitting. Following Ms. Montefusco’s presentation, she and representatives from NDEQ’s Air Quality Division will be available to answer questions.

Sept. 7, 2016 – The Nebraska Safety Council is holding a two-day conference September 19-20 in Lincoln at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel which will cover safety, wellness and environmental topics. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality will make a presentation at the conference and will also have a booth at the trade show. For more information, go to the conference page of the Safety Council website.

The state ended health alerts at Kirkman’s Cove in Richardson County, Rockford Lake in Gage County and Willow Creek Lake in Pierce County, after all three lakes had two consecutive weeks of low readings of microcystin (a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.) Alerts continue at Big Indian Creek Lake in Gage County and Iron Horse Trail Lake in Pawnee County.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is announcing the acceptance of the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA) Plan by EPA on October 13th, 2016. The BGMA Plan is the first groundwater-focused plan in the nation to address nonpoint source pollution. The plan is the result of a collaborative effort to address groundwater nitrate contamination between NDEQ and four of Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs): Lewis and Clark, Lower Elkhorn, Lower Niobrara, and the Upper Elkhorn.

The 2016 NPPD/NDEQ Power Summit will be held November 16, 2016, at the Lincoln Firefighter’s Reception Hall (241 Victory Lane), Lincoln. For more information about the summit, see the agenda below.
 

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality announced the selection of nine Nebraska schools that will receive rebates under the Nebraska Clean Diesel Rebate Program. The rebates will be used to help the schools replace older school buses with new buses that have certified cleaner-burning engines. This funding is made possible by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State Clean Diesel Grant program.

Nov. 22, 2016 – An Addendum to Nebraska's 2016 Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan is available for public comment, through November 30, 2016. This addendum proposes to establish a new, source-oriented, ambient air monitoring site for SO2 at OPPD ballpark on Pershing Drive in Omaha.

December 16, 2016 – Applications for 2017 Waste Reduction and Recycling Grants will be available online from January 4, 2017 through 4 p.m. CST February 1, 2017. Applications must be submitted using the online process.

For more information about the Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant application process, go to https://dee.nebraska.gov/forms/publications-grants-forms/was066.
 

Feb. 28, 2018 – The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s draft 2018 Water Quality Integrated Report is now available for public review and comment.

March 8, 2018 -- The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the University of Nebraska, and Nebraska Game and Parks have joined together to offer a lake management workshop for private land owners. The workshops are free and open to everyone who makes decisions for and about lakes and ponds, or anyone who wants to learn more about protecting them. If you have ever had an algae bloom, fish kill, murky water, or just want to know what’s going on in the lake, this workshop is for you. There is no cost to attend these workshops, but reservations are required.