Solid waste disposal fee increase clears first round

A fee increase on landfill operators would help cover Nebraska’s superfund site cleanup costs under a bill advanced from general file Feb. 19.

LB247, introduced by Niobrara Sen. Barry DeKay, would increase the fee from $1.25 to $2.34 per ton of solid waste, six cubic yards of uncompacted solid waste or three cubic yards of compacted solid waste.

Currently, fee proceeds are evenly split between the Integrated Solid Waste Management Cash Fund and the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Fund. LB247 would direct 65% of the fees to the solid waste fund, with the remainder going to the waste reduction fund.

Under the bill, the solid waste fund, which is used to cover the costs of responding to spills or other environmental emergencies, also could be used to provide cost share, operation and maintenance for remediation of federal superfund sites.

DeKay said he introduced the bill at the request of the state Department of Environment and Energy to help Nebraska clean up 11 “orphan” superfund sites, which do not have a financially viable responsible party. The solid waste fee has not been increased since 1992, he added.

“LB247 would establish a more sustainable funding mechanism to meet Nebraska’s superfund obligations while ensuring continued support for waste reduction and recycling initiatives,” DeKay said.

The department estimates that the fee increase would generate an additional $2.8 million annually.

In addition to the fee increase, LB247 would repeal a provision allowing the Legislature to transfer money from the Petroleum Release Remedial Action Cash Fund to the Superfund Cost Share Cash Fund.

The former is used to reimburse owners of leaking petroleum storage tanks for related cleanup costs. It is funded by a fee paid by those who sell or distribute petroleum in Nebraska.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad opposed the measure. She said LB247 and several other proposed fee increases are part of the governor’s plan to balance the state budget in the face of a revenue shortfall that Conrad attributed to tax cuts passed by lawmakers in recent years.

“This is part of a larger practice before the body this year where we increase fees and we nickel-and-dime Nebraskans to death,” Conrad said.

Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, who supported LB247, said the fee increase would not be enough to significantly raise the cost of garbage pickup for Nebraskans.

Senators voted 32-1 to advance the bill to select file.