CAFO Action Network to Launch in 2009
November 2008

Omaha, NE -- GPELC's latest endeavour is the CAFO Action Network, a site devoted to linking rural communities throughout Nebraska in their attempts to safeguard their quality of life and land. Those who have found themselves living near a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) know the challenge of finding common ground with their new neighbor. Through the CAFO Action Network, GPELC will highlight what you need to know about living near a CAFO – what permits are required to protect you and the land, and what to do and expect as a result if you encounter a violation. The site will include information on how to organize your community and, if funding permits, an interactive mapping device to illustrate the state waterbodies, CAFO sites, and any reported violations. If you have thoughts on what would make this site more useful to you, please contact Kara at kara@gpelc.org.

Tax-Protest Work Opens Door to Success
October 2008

Lincoln, NE – In recent hearings for tax-protesters associated with GPELC's Tax-Protest Project, a judge ruled that the proximity of a CAFO does hold a negative impact on property value and must be considered by county assessors.

Great Plains Environmental Law Center Adopts New Mission
July 2008

Omaha, NE – The Great Plains Environmental Law Center Board of Directors recently developed a new mission statement that more accurately reflects the work and vision of the organization as it moves forward in its fifth year. The new mission is as follows:

The mission of the Great Plains Environmental Law Center is to encourage, assist, and advocate for the improvement and protection of the environment for all inhabitants of the Great Plains.

GPELC Presents at Public Interest Environmental Law Conference
March 2008

Eugene, OR -- Kara Harbert, Executive Director of GPELC, presented at the annual Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, hosted by the University of Oregon Law School. Ms. Harbert was invited by the conference to present her work with GPELC's Tax-Protest Project along with Laura Murphy of Vermont Law School, who was developing a similar program for New York.

The program was titled "CAFO Grief: Using Tax Prieging Procedure to Portest CAFOs." In the presentation, Ms. Harbert detailed the groundbreaking work GPELC had taken on in Nebraska to address the economic impact of CAFOs on property values. With funding from the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project (SRAP), GPELC has worked with consultant Laura Krebsbach of Lincoln to develop a program to inform homeowners of the negative impact a nearby CAFO may have on their property values. GPELC has worked with several individuals who have navigated the Nebraska Tax-Protest Project in an attempt to set a reasonable taxable value for their homes.

For more information on the Tax-Protest Project, see "Tax Protests" under the Projects tab.

Platte River Recovery Program

The Platte River is an essential resource not only for the residents of Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado, but also to four species of endangered or threatened birds. The whooping crane, piping plover, interior least tern, pallid sturgeon, and countless other species of plants and animals live in and around the Platte River and its banks. Over the last 150 years, development and industrialization have reduced the flow of this river by two thirds and significantly narrowed its channel, much to the detriment of both the humans and animals that depend on this vital water source. The Platte River Cooperative Governance Committee negotiated an agreement for the Platte River Recovery Program, which was signed on January 1, 2007. The Recovery Program, which includes both a Land Plan and a Water Action Plan, provides 187 million dollars over 13 years with the goal of protecting and restoring the Platte River and its surrounding habitat. Improved management of overall river flows and revitalized research and monitoring of the river and its surroundings are main components of the implementation of the program.

The Land Plan focuses on the 10,000 acres of land that surround the river between Lexington and Grand Island, which includes wetlands and wet meadows. Ultimately, the committee hopes to restore the width and and openness that once characterized the braided channels of the river. As part of the Water Action Plan, 130,000-150,000 acre feet, or roughly 15 percent of the overall flow as measured in Grand Island, will be added to the river. The program takes into account the increasing water needs of surrounding cities and agricultural communities and has developed methods of offsetting the water usage. Each state is responsible for developing, funding and carrying out their own water depletion plan for new water uses, which are considered any water uses that began after July of 1997.

The January 2007 signing of the agreement for the the Platte River Recovery Program not the final step to the successful future of the program. The allocation of the full funding of Nebraska's obligation for this project is still pending. While the bulk of the program is federally funded, each state is responsible for the funding of their water depletion plan. The funding required to offset heavy water usage, such that needed for irrigation, will cost anywhere from one to five million dollars annually. The Governor and the State Legislature provided little funding in the 2007-2008 budget for this program. There is, however, something you can do to help. Write to your State Senator and ask them to support funding for the Platte River Recovery Program Depletion Plan in the Department of Natural Resources budget. The funding of this project is essential for the preservation of a beautiful Nebraskan icon!