Two very important bills will be coming up in the Nebraska Legislature next week, and farmers and citizens are working together to prepare testimony and share information. There are two upcoming action meetings (more information below) to educate and prepare citizens for engagement on these issues.
LB512: Regulate Fracking Wastewater Dumping in Nebraska
LB512, a bill to regulate the dumping of fracking wastewater in Nebraska, will be heard in front of the Natural Resources Committee at 1:30 in Room 1525.
Click Here to see a recent article about the wastewater dumping. The Scottsbluff and Sioux County boards have already submitted letters of opposition to the wastewater dumping. Earthquakes linked to fracking are also a concern that underground wastewater storage could be compromised and contaminate groundwater.
A petition calling on the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission to reject the fracking wastewater well permit can be found at this link: http://act.boldnebraska.org/sign/fracking
LB473: Overturn LB1161, No Eminent Domain for Pipelines
LB473, Sen. Ernie Chambers’ bill that would overturn LB1161 and make it illegal for private, foreign pipeline corporations like TransCanada to use eminent domain in Nebraska, will be heard in front of the Judiciary committee at 1:30 in Room 1113.
A petition supporting LB473 can be found at this link: http://act.boldnebraska.org/sign/chambers/
Legislative Action Meetings
In order to help citizens and landowners learn more and prepare for action on these two bills, the Douglas County and Lancaster County chapters of the Nebraska Farmers Union will be holding two special action meetings, one in Omaha and one in Lincoln. Details for the meetings:
WHAT: Douglas County Farmers Union Action Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, March 5th, 6:00 PM
WHERE: Von Roenn Permaculture Solutions, 4871 NW Radial Hwy., Omaha.
WHAT: Lancaster County Farmers Union Action Meeting
WHEN: Monday, March 9th, 6:00 PM
WHERE: Ploughshare Brewing Company, 1630 P St., Lincoln
Please consider attending one of these meetings, and please consider coming to the capitol next Wednesday to testify in person. If you can’t make it to one of the meetings or to the hearings, please submit your comments to the appropriate committees. Contact information for the committees can be found below.
Citizens and landowners, farmers, ranchers, tribes and students have all worked together to protect our water from the risky TransCanada pipeline, and we have fought the use of eminent domain for private gain. We have sent a message to our lawmakers that we expect them to do the same, and we need to take action next week to make sure they hear us again.
Links to Committee Contact Information
LB512, Natural Resources Committee (click name for contact page)
LB473, Judiciary Committee (click name for contact page)
