Trust News

Nebraska Environmental Trust Invites Comments on 2010 Grant Applications

The Nebraska Environmental Trust entered the 2010 grant cycle on September 8, receiving 142 applications requesting a total of $54,877,006. This is the second highest amount requested in the history of the Trust. The highest amount of $58,935,806.20 was requested in 1999.

Out of the 142 applications, 32 are carry-over projects. As part of the grant application process, the Trust invites members of the public to review the proposed grants and provide written comments about the projects. A summary of each proposal will be available soon on the Trust’s web site www.environmentaltrust.org. Comments on the grant applications will be accepted until March 31, 2010 at the Nebraska Environmental Trust, 700 S 16th Street, PO Box 94913, Lincoln, NE 68509-4913 or via e-mail to lisa.beethe@nebraska.gov

NAS Awards Nebraska Environmental Trust PIE Grants

The Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Inc. received eight applications for the fourth quarter Public Information and Education Mini-grants funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust. Grant applications were submitted by: Central Platte NRD, Neighborhood Ambassadors-Lincoln, Omaha Paper Stock Co., Center for Rural Affairs, City of Plainview, City of Hastings, UNL-Lincoln Extension 4-H Youth Development and City of Omaha-Environmental Division. Grant forms and information can be found on the NAS website, www.neacadsci.org. Click on information and then click on PIE Grants.

Grant recipients for the fourth quarter of 2009 are Central Platte Natural Resources - Groundwater Festival, $2,500; Center for Rural Affairs - Hispanic/Latino Organic Farmer Training, $3,000; UNL Extension 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program, $2,500; and the City of Omaha, Environmental Quality Division - Point of Use Recycle Education, $2,138.

The Nebraska Environmental Trust Public Information and Education Minigrant Program will award MiniGrants of up to $3,000 each to support the presentation and dissemination of information and perspectives that will stimulate enhanced environmental stewardship in any category eligible for Nebraska Environmental Trust funding. These categories are habitat, surface and ground water, waste management, air quality and soil management. The grant will expand dialogue on important current conservation topics and provide information on emerging or highly useful conservation methods. This program will be administered by the Nebraska Academy of Sciences.

Nebraska Environmental Trust Announces Geo Points

In a continuing effort to support natural resource projects across Nebraska, the board of the Nebraska Environmental Trust will award bonus points to 2010 grant applicants in three of the seven geographical areas across the state. The geographical map of Nebraska showing the seven districts can be seen on the Trust website at: www.environmentaltrust.org .

Projects based in District 5 (southwest) and District 6 (North Central) will be eligible for 20 bonus points and those based in District 2 (Douglas and Sarpy Counties) are eligible for 15 bonus points in the 2010 grant cycle.

By law, the Nebraska Environmental Trust is required to ensure a geographic mix of projects over time. Geographic bonus points allow the Trust board to evaluate which areas are in need of Trust grant funds and provide an incentive to increase applications from deficient areas. District 5 has received $11,005,158 in grants from the Nebraska Environmental Trust while District 6 has received $10,727,818 and District 2, $13,065,735 since Trust grants began in 1994.

Revision of Trust Funding Categories

The Nebraska Environmental Trust Board reviewed public input from the June 26, 2009, category roundtable and survey results from those participants and others at the July 30, 2009, 3rd Quarter Board Policy Discussion Session.  The Board decided that most participants were satisfied with the existing funding categories and only slight modifications were needed in two of the categories.

The first change was within the Surface and Ground Water category.  The Board decided to change “…lakes, streams and ground water…” to “…lakes, waterways and groundwater…”.  This change was seen as being more descriptive.

The second change was within the Air Quality category.  The recommended change was from “implementing clean air strategies; actions to research,…” to “implementing clean air strategies; including greenhouse gas reductions; actions to research…”.  This change allows some additional attention to be provided to energy related projects.
 
There was discussion about adding, deleting and combining funding categories, but in the end the small modifications were the only adopted changes.  After much discussion about noxious weeds, the board determined the Trust had funded many noxious weed projects under the current categories.  Energy projects were discussed and the slight change of adding “including greenhouse gas reduction” was believed to address the issue at this time.

The next step is to schedule three public hearings, one in each congressional district this fall.  The current plan is to schedule meetings in Omaha, Lincoln and North Platte.  Watch the Trust website and news releases for the date and times of those meetings.  The Trust Board will approve the final funding categories at the February board meeting.

Defense Fund Policy

The Trust recently began requiring grantees that obtain conservation easements with Trust funds to establish a defense fund containing at least 10% of the easement’s value.  The 10% can be included in the grant application, as it is an eligible expense.  The fund is to be used in the future to defend the conservation easement, but the fund can also be used for monitoring the easement.

The Trust Board decided at the July 30, 2009, 3rd Quarter Board Policy Discussion Session that government agencies, including Natural Resources Districts, would not be required to set aside defense funds.  It was determined that government entities would be obligated to defend conservation easements held by them and a separate fund was unnecessary.

2008 Nebraska Environmental Trust Annual Report

The 2008 Nebraska Environmental Trust Annual Report is expected to be out for distribution in the next coming weeks. This year's theme is "Sharing The Resource", which will highlight some of projects that are truly exemplary of the idea of sharing; the sharing of ideas, the sharing of information, the sharing of responsibility, the sharing of experience and education.

The Trust would like to take this opportunity to thank all grantees and partnership organizations that have contributed in one way or another through photographs, articles and other resources that have helped in the production of the Annual Report