Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The targeted investments of the Inflation Reduction Act have real-world impacts that are hard to ignore. Since its passage in August 2022, the IRA has been quietly bringing tangible benefits to Nebraska's farms, public schools, small businesses and families. In July 2024, Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy was awarded $307 million in IRA funding to implement measures outlined in the state's priority action plan. These funds will assist Nebraska producers in implementing advanced liv...
Public school administrators and board of education members across the country face tough decisions when it comes to addressing how to pay for the repair or replacement of aging equipment, vehicles and infrastructure. The direct-pay provision in the Inflation Reduction Act enables schools and other tax-exempt groups to receive certain clean energy and climate-related tax credits as direct cash refunds from the Internal Revenue System. Entities can receive up to 30% of a clean energy project’s co...
The Legislature concluded the special session that was called to relieve property taxes on Aug. 20. After a contentious start, senators agreed to compromise on legislation that will frontload the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act credits from LB1107 (2020) directly onto taxpayer’s property tax statements, trim and adjust the state budget by $185 million and tighten existing property tax levy caps for counties, cities and villages to the greater of inflation or 0%. Of the 81 bills and 24 r...
This week, the Legislature took up the issues of property taxes and adjustments to the state budget. Much of the focus remained on the package crafted by the Revenue Committee and attached to LB34 by Senator Brewer in place of LB1 and LB9. In a long day of constant changes, LB34 was originally intended to resemble LB1 and LB9. During debate, several concerns were raised, including counties and municipalities who opposed the proposed caps, schools that were hesitant that the Legislature could...
In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Biden did not have the constitutional authority to mass transfer up to $400 billion in student loan debt from borrowers to American taxpayers. Rather than properly acknowledge the ruling of the court, earlier this year, the president unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan, again handing the bill to hardworking Americans. Biden’s new plan already faces similar legal challenges on which the Supreme Court will likely again weigh in. Many Ne...
On Thursday of this past week, Governor Pillen delivered his State of the State address. The governor began his speech by thanking members of law enforcement, first responders and road crews who have worked countless hours in recent days in the brutal winter weather conditions across the state. He next touched on his priorities for this year, which included property tax relief, reducing the regulatory burden of state government and protecting Nebraska from foreign adversaries. He lent support to...
The expansion of wind generation has been, and continues to be, a boon for rural development. Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity across the nation. Several Midwest states, including Nebraska, are leading the charge in its development, according to recent reports from the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2022, wind power accounted for 22% of new electricity capacity in the nation, representing a $12 billion investment. While it was considered a down year for installatio...
Antelope County Commissioners learned heard from two speakers, Dec. 5, about concerns with a potential carbon-capture pipeline projected to run through the northern tier of the county. Doyle Turner, of Moville, Iowa, and Trent Loos, a central Nebraska rancher also presented similar information at an informational forum, Dec. 4, in Neligh. Turner said years ago, he had invested in a company that sold carbon dioxide for "any kind of purpose you can imagine." "I knew CO2 had a lot of value. What I...
If you are a farmer or rancher, there has never been a better time to apply for popular conservation programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Nebraska, the deadline to submit initial paperwork for the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program is Nov. 17. For years, CSP and EQIP have provided financial and technical assistance to implement beneficial practices on agricultural lands, like cover crops and rotational grazing. In 2022 alone, 1.7...
This week, the House was set to continue its work on the 12 annual appropriations bills to ensure the government is responsibly funded. Unfortunately, our legislative work to cut wasteful spending was disrupted when a small handful of Republicans voted with Democrats to remove the speaker of the House. I voted against vacating the chair because it sets a disruptive precedent and because the House should be focused on delivering results for the American people. House Republicans already have a...
Dear Editor: Summit Carbon Solutions, owned partially by a South Korean Company, is asking the Antelope County zoning board for a conditional use permit to grant permanent easements for a carbon pipeline. Concentrating CO2 into a pipeline under high pressure is a disaster waiting to happen. Multi-national corporations will profit through subsidies, depreciation and tax credits. The "Inflation Reduction Act" states the government will pay them up to $180 per metric ton. Depreciation on a $5.5 billion pipeline for an investor in the 50% tax brack...
Wind, solar and other renewable energy projects offer a significant opportunity to revitalize rural communities and diversify the local economy. Increased tax revenue from renewable energy projects enables school districts, cities and other entities to address local emergency services and infrastructure improvement needs while reducing the local tax burden. Additionally, farmers and landowners can earn additional income through land-lease payments from project developers and new job...
The time has never been riper for a government pro-mining policy in America. A shift away from fossil fuels will require a secure supply of minerals and metals needed in the quest for clean energy. The political climate for mining today is very different than the one that existed in the past when policymakers thought that imports of battery minerals and metals like lithium, nickel and rare earths, combined with battery recycling, would curb the need for more domestic mines. An awareness that times have changed is reflected in passage of the...
Residential solar energy is booming. The Omaha Public Power District saw a 900% increase in applications for connecting residential and commercial solar systems over the past year. The dramatic increase is partially due to the cost of solar panels becoming more affordable. Over the last decade, the cost of residential solar systems has dropped 64%, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The Inflation Reduction Act, which extends the Investment Tax Credit for another 10 years and...
