More than a year after being convened by the State Legislature, the Nebraska Water Policy Task force is prepared to propose a package of legislation to improve management of Nebraska's water resources and reduce conflicts between users. One important aspect of the plan is to restore water levels in the Platte River in order to comply with a tri state agreement between Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, which would improve habitat for endangered species. The package would also require annual evaluation of river basins in the state starting in 2006, and development of management plans for basins that are overused. The legislation will be sent to the legislature shortly. For more information on how to protect your state's water resources, visit: http://www.serconline.org/groundwaterWithPermit/pkg_frameset.html.

A decision by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to postpone all pending regulations from the Davis administration has left many government officials and environmental activists confused and worried. The purpose of the order is to give the Schwarzenegger administration time to review the pending regulations, but many environmentalists fear that the order will delay many important environmental and health regulations and allow industry lobbyists to renew their challenges to environmental regulations that have already been debated. Many government administrations, including the Cal-EPA and the Energy Commission, have put off acting on important health and safety regulations as a result of the Governor's order. Delayed actions include new water and energy efficiency standards for washing machines, new building standards to increase energy efficiency and prohibitions on the use of diesel engines. "I understand that the administration may want to take a deep breath and see what is on the book, but these are regulations affecting the public heath, and they should not be delayed," said Ann Notthoff, a lobbyist for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The increase in coalbed methane development has touched off a series of disputes between those who own the land and those who own the mineral rights under it. This problem, called ‘spit estate', will be addressed in new legislation being written by State Rep. Rosie Berger. In most cases, the mineral developer and the landowner draw up a private contract to cover the damages caused by extraction, which can include pollution, and loss of agricultural land. This legislation would address what happens when the two parties can't agree. Current law allows the developer to post a bond and begin extraction; Legislators hope this bill will further protect landowners' rights. The legislature may also consider creating an environmental response fund for coalbed methane operations in the state, but it's unclear where that money would come from.

Wisconsin will become the top wind energy producing state east of the Mississippi River next year when the state's largest wind farm is erected several miles east of Lake Winnebago. Navitas Energy Inc will build 44 turbines on land leased from local property owners, who will be paid $4,000 a year for each turbine. "I'll be harvesting the wind," said Jim Guelig, a dairy farmer. "My family has been farming here for more than 150 years, and now we'll be harvesting a different crop." The 21-year development agreement also assures the town of Marshfield $2.8 million in revenue. This project should improve Wisconsin's "renewable energy grade"– the state received a C, according to a report published earlier this year by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The report can be found at: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/renewable_energy/page.cfm?pageID=1180. For more information about encouraging renewable energy development in your state, visit: http://www.serconline.org/cleanenergy.html.

The Texas General Land Office is trying to strike a deal with Rio Nuevo Ltd. that would allow Rio Nuevo water leases in far West Texas. The water leases would allow Rio Nuevo to drill wells and export water from the Culberson, Hudspeth, Presidio and Jeff Davis counties. Money from the leases would go into the Permanent School Fund of Texas. At a recent meeting of the Far West Texas Water Planning Group, many residents and officials in the already drought-stricken area expressed strong opposition to the water leases. Among those opposed to the deal is the Town of Presidio Mayor Alcee Tavarez, who sent a letter to Gov. Rick Perry requesting that he oppose the project. "They basically want to shove this down our throats" says Tavarez. Trace Finley, policy director of the Land Office, said that if the Far West Texas Water Planning Group rejects the deal, the project would likely be terminated, unless the Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson feels it is unfair to Rio Nuevo.

A measure proposed by Senator Christopher Bond (R-M.O.) that would have prohibited states from regulating air pollution from small engines was rejected by members of a House and Senate conference committee. Small off-road engines, including those used in lawn mowers, portable generators and boat engines are a major source of air pollution and smog-forming emissions. The measure proposed by Senator Bond would have repealed a California regulation that cut emissions from small engines by 35%. "It's a health issue and a state's rights issue. The states view this as an attack on their rights and authority. It's a message coming from lots of the states," said S. William Becker, executive director of the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators and the Assn. of Local Air Pollution Control Officials. The proposal by Senator Bond, if passed, would have resulted in a 4% increase in total emissions statewide, hampering California's ability to meet 2010 clean air standards, which could also cost the state billions of dollars in federal highway funds. The compromise struck by Senator Bond and California Senator Feinstein, which allows the rules to survive, bars other states from passing standards stricter than the federal rules, and requires the EPA to draft new rules on small engines.