LB506 LB506
2023 2023
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 506
Introduced by Bostar, 29.
Read first time January 17, 2023
Committee: Appropriations
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to appropriations; to state intent to
2 appropriate federal funds to the Department of Natural Resources; to
3 appropriate federal funds to the Department of Environment and
4 Energy; and to declare an emergency.
5 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate
2 two hundred million dollars from Federal Funds for fiscal year 2023-24 to
3 the Department of Natural Resources to carry out the purposes of this
4 section. The Federal Funds to be appropriated are from the funds
5 allocated to the State of Nebraska from the federal Coronavirus State
6 Fiscal Recovery Fund pursuant to the federal American Rescue Plan Act of
7 2021, Public Law 117-2, Subtitle M, Sec. 9901.
8 (2) On or before September 30, 2023, the Department of Natural
9 Resources shall award the grant to a city of the primary class. Eligible
10 expenses for the funding from this grant shall include, but not be
11 limited to, costs for a water treatment plant, water treatment,
12 transmission, and distribution in furtherance of additional water, land
13 acquisition, permitting, a wellfield, pumping, and transportation of
14 water over twenty-five miles for the purpose of providing potable water
15 to the municipality. The department shall develop criteria and procedures
16 that are consistent with projects and eligibility listed in 40 C.F.R.
17 35.3520.
18 Sec. 2. (1) There is hereby appropriated $20,000,000 from Federal
19 Funds for FY2023-24 to the Department of Environment and Energy for the
20 purposes described in subsection (2) of this section. The Federal Funds
21 appropriated in this section are from the funds allocated to the State of
22 Nebraska from the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund pursuant
23 to the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2,
24 Subtitle M, Sec. 9901.
25 (2)(a) The Department of Environment and Energy shall provide grants
26 for small and rural communities to install reverse osmosis systems in
27 community water systems where drinking water test levels are above ten
28 parts per million of nitrate and, if appropriate, provide grant funds for
29 use to install reverse osmosis systems if test levels for nitrate in
30 drinking water pumped from private wells are above ten parts per million.
31 (b) Any grant awarded pursuant to this section shall be coordinated
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1 and administered by the Department of Environment and Energy in
2 compliance with the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
3 (c) The recipient of a grant pursuant to this section shall only
4 spend the grant in compliance with the federal American Rescue Plan Act
5 of 2021.
6 Sec. 3. Since an emergency exists, this act takes effect when
7 passed and approved according to law.
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