PLATTE LINES A column of current items of interest from the South Platte NRD

The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts – the trade association for the 23 districts in Nebraska – held its annual Legislative Conference the last week of January.

The conference is one of things we do as Nebraska’s resources districts to watch out for your interests as landowners and residents and to protect your interests.

Eighteen new senators are part of the first session in the 104th Legislature, which is a 90-day session. There are 10 new committee chairs within the body, which has seen 603 bills introduced.

One of the most important ways we serve you at this conference is to meet with the state’s senators, providing information on natural resources related issues. Representatives from NRD boards across the state also meet in business sessions and caucuses where they establish NARD positions on legislation that could affect constituents. Those representatives vote to support, oppose or simply monitor legislation.

Most of those positions are taken on legislation directly affecting natural resources management and regulation. Some, however, such as those affecting taxation or government operations, are monitored to see how they might affect constituents or our ability to provide service.

LB 206, introduced by Sen. Schilz of Ogallala, is of particular interest and was brought to the legislature with a large amount of input from the state’s NRDs. LB 206 proposes updates to the Erosion and Sediment Control Act (first passed in 1984) to address excess erosion above certain tolerance levels which cause harmful accumulation of sediment on land owned by others.

Among its provisions is one giving authority to an NRD to seek a cease-and-desist order if necessary to reduce or eliminate damage to a neighboring property.

It’s hoped the changes will provide an added layer of protection to landowners affected adversely from erosion of soil by wind and water in excess of the applicable soil-loss tolerance level.

Another bill introduced by Sen. Schilz, LB 207, is an extension of changes made last year to the Nebraska Chemigation Act. Last year, changes approved by the Legislature allowed for increased permit fees to allow NRDs to meet expenses related to chemigation systems. LB 207 provides for civil penalties to those who engage in chemigation without permits, operate chemigation systems with suspended or revoked permits, those who willfully damage chemigation equipment and for other violations of the Nebraska Chemigation Act.

The last update I will leave you with is to report that the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission is developing rules governing administration of the Water Sustainability Fund. This is a funding source adopted under LB 1098 during the 2014 legislative session that will provide much needed funding to protect water resources within the state.

These actions provide a much-needed and long overdue source of monies needed to accomplish projects all across the state that will protect water quality, protect aquifers and in turn, help protect the livelihood and lives of all Nebraskans.

I realize this is a very simple overview of just a few issues facing our law makers, but many in the NRD system will be spending the upcoming weeks and months providing input and insight to those in the legislature and local boards to make sure your natural resources are protected for use today and beyond.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to keep you abreast of the issues important to you and represent your interests across the state.

Rod L. Horn is the general manager of the South Platte Natural Resources District, based in Sidney.