Return to Board Meeting Updates
| Nemaha NRD April
2008 Board Meeting Report Tecumseh – Nemaha Natural Resources District board members voted Thursday night, April 10, to extend the current moratorium on the issuance of well permits from May 15 to October 15, 2008. Very little testimony was offered at a public hearing held just prior to the board’s regular monthly meeting, and no opposition was waged against the extension. The additional time afforded by the extension will allow completion of updates to the District’s Groundwater Management Plan. During this time, however, the board still has the ability to approve variances allowing permits in areas where no negative impacts are projected. Nebraska Environmental Trust funding approval was finalized this month, which allowed the NRD board to move forward with a cost-share program for providing flow meters for high capacity wells. Rules and guidelines for the program were reviewed and approved by the board Thursday night. Cost-share is restricted to 50 percent with a $500 maximum and a limit of one meter per landowner per fiscal year. Applications will be accepted beginning May 1. The Nemaha NRD is serving as sponsor for the development of an all-hazard mitigation plan for Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, and Richardson Counties. FEMA funding is available to pay 75 percent of the cost of preparing the plan with the NRD and counties sharing the remainder of the costs. NRD board approval was given to an interlocal cooperative agreement with the five counties to develop the plan, which is estimated to cost approximately $167,700. NRD share of the cost is estimated at $4,400. Once again Norris High School near Firth will be representing southeast Nebraska at the Nebraska Envirothon competition in May. This year’s contest will be held at Halsey National Forrest and features teams from 14 schools around the state competing in seven different subject areas: soils, range, aquatics, wildlife, forestry, natural resources policy, and this year’s national topic, the impact of recreation on natural resources. Nemaha NRD directors voted unanimously to support the team by providing their $100 registration fee for the event. No action was taken on a request by Vernon Latrom for the District to construct an access road to property on the west side of Upper Little Nemaha site 5, located south of Eagle in northwestern Otoe County. The board’s Programs and Projects Committee met with Mr. Latrom and offered other alternatives for him to investigate since the District had already compensated him when the land rights were originally obtained for this property. Though the Executive Committee reviewed information on the feasibility of hiring a qualified engineer on staff, no action was taken on this item. Additional information will be gathered on whether this option is feasible and brought back to the board in the future. No changes were offered yet either on the District’s Urban Special Project policy. The Operations & Education Committee is looking at updates to the policy, specifically as it addresses priorities for approvals. No changes are expected at this time, and the committee will continue to investigate potential changes. The next regular meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be Thursday, May 8, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. at the NRD headquarters, 62161 Highway 136, Tecumseh, with committees meeting prior to the full board meeting. |