Nebraska Environmental Trust700 S 16th Street
PO Box 94913
Lincoln, NE 68509-4913
info@environmentaltrust.org
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Nebraska Environmental Trust
The Trust will hold a public hearing at 1:45 pm in the Ferguson House (700 S. 16th Street, Lincoln, NE) on February 7, 2008, to revise the rating scale for the Public Information and Education (PIE) Grant applications. Proposed changes to the ratings scale can be viewed on the Trust’s website : www.environmentaltrust.org The public is welcome to attend the hearing and testify or provide written testimony to the Trust Board by submitting such testimony to the Trust by February 6, 2008.
The Trust suspended the PIE grants in 2007 and will reinstitute them in September 2008. The proposed changes to the rating criteria better reflect education projects. The Trust hopes the changes will strengthen the projects and provide a better evaluation tool for selecting projects for funding. The PIE grants are limited to $2500 and are awarded quarterly. They were created as a minigrant program for public information and education projects. They support the presentation and dissemination of information and perspectives that stimulate enhanced environmental stewardship in any category eligible for Trust funding. This grant program seeks to expand dialogue on important current conservation topics and to provide information on emerging or highly useful conservation methods.
September 18, 2007– The Trust recently took part at Husker Harvest Days Exhibition that was held in Grand Island from September 11-13. The world's largest working, irrigated farm show kicked off on Tuesday, September 11 and was well attended by many Nebraskans as well as those from out of state. It was the 30th year of Husker Harvest Days and this year it was bigger than ever. More than 600 exhibitors showed off their latest in Ag technologies.
Mark Brohman, Executive Director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust said that close to $1million in grants had been given to agricultural projects alone in Nebraska in2007. The agricultural sector has not only played a crucial role in Nebraska's economy, it has been a major partner in preserving the environment. We are fortunate to have a large number of citizens in the farming and ranching communities who are environmentally conscious and are willing to adopt environmentally friendly practices for the preservation of Nebraska resources. Out of 67 projects funded this year, 10 projects had a direct benefit to the agricultural environment.
Commenting on the Husker Harvest Days participation, Matt Jungmann, Husker Harvest Days Show Manager said, "All the exhibitors put their heart and soul into this. I mean this is the largest gathering of their customers that they're going to get to see so they want to be sure to put on the right face for it."
The EPA is sponsoring a photo contest this month. Photos of people enjoying or protecting the environment are due March 24 for those interested. For full contest details, see EPA Photo Contest
September 18, 2007–The Nebraska Environmental Trust entered the 2008 grant cycle on September4, receiving 94 applications requesting a total of $26,665,243.00.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 is available on the Trust's web site www.environmentaltrust.org. Comments on the grant applications will be accepted until March 28, 2008 at the Nebraska Environmental Trust, 700 S.16th St., P.O. Box 94913, Lincoln, NE 68509-4913 or via e-mail at grants@environmentaltrust.org
The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992. Using revenue from the Nebraska Lottery, the Trust has provided over $112 million in grants to more than 952 projects across the state. Anyone - citizens, organizations, communities, farmers and businesses can apply for funding to protect habitat, improve water quality and establish recycling programs in Nebraska. The Nebraska Environmental Trust works to preserve, protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.
Click here to view the summary of 2008 Applications.
September 22, 2007– The Nebraska Environmental Trust participated in the second annual Missouri River Clean-Up held September 22nd in Omaha. The Trust provided a $2500 Public Information Grant to the sponsor of the clean-up, Back-To-The-River Inc. and Missouri River Relief. Over 280 volunteers showed up at 8:30 am on a Saturday to participate. Mark Brohman, Executive Director of the Trust, participated and said, “It was great seeing so many people, especially the kids, showing up early on a Saturday morning to pick up trash along the river.” Volunteers were shuttled out to nearby river bank sites by boats provided by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the National Parks Service, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. They were given a pair of gloves, a tee-shirt and a free lunch cooked by a local Boy Scout troop for their efforts. Last year drew about 140 volunteers, so the event doubled in size this year.
The Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park, September 22nd and 23rd, was very successful. There were approximately 40,000 people who attended the two day event which was children and family oriented. There were over 75 hands-on demonstrations including: kayaking, fishing, hunting, trapping, outdoor cooking, game calling, fly tying, and shooting sports. The Trust had a booth at the event and took advantage of the opportunity to share with the public the great things we have funded over the years, explain how the Trust is funded and how grants are awarded. It would appear, after visiting with some of the kids, that the boat rides on the Missouri River and being able to handle fish and turtles in the tanks were two of their favorite activities. The Expo had something for everyone and it was evident the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, who sponsors the event, has a hit.
If you have a news story to feature on this page, contact Sheila Johnson , Public Information Officer, at (402) 471-5409.