Accomplishments:
- The Engineering section received a record number of projects to review in March. Despite being short two engineers, the program’s average days to issue permits only increased by 0.52 days from 14.01 in February to 14.53 in March.
- Work on a new online tool for water professionals holding a NDEE credential was completed in March and will be announced in mid-April. This online portal will allow users to manage their NDEE issued certifications and continuing education credits online and will replace NDEE’s paper process.
- NDEE and DHHS activated the air quality advisory system to forecast smoke from annual prescribed fire in the Kansas Flint Hills. Since the activation in March, NDEE/DHHS have issued three smoke advisories (March 25, March 28-29, and April 4-5).
Miscellaneous:
- NEMA Emergency Support Function 10 will work with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture after May to update the Catastrophic Animal Mortality Management Plan that was originally developed between 2003-2006. NDA has submitted a grant request for Tetra Tech to complete the update.
- The Environmental Quality Council met on March 30 and approved amendments to Title 129 – Nebraska Air Quality Regulations. The EQC’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 29.
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