Utilities Section
Newsletter League of Nebraska Municipalities
July 2026
Table copy replacing posters for Open Meetings Act compliance, effective July 18 LB 596 passed in the 2026 legislative session and took effect July 18, 2026. LB 596 amended the Open Meetings Act to delete the word “posted” from the ongoing requirement that at least one current copy of the Open Meetings Act be “in the meeting room at a location accessible to members of the public.”
Consequently, the League will no longer provide posters of the Act. Instead of posters, the new law requires at least one current copy of the Open Meetings Act be placed on a table in the meeting room accessible to citizens. Although a copy can be “posted” on the wall, it is no longer required.
Click here for the most current version of the Open Meetings Act for you to print and place on a table in your meeting room. Although LB 596 requires at least one current copy of the Act in the meeting room, the League recommends having two or three copies available.
Nebraska SRF Program to surpass $2 billion in statewide water infrastructure commitments The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) State Revolving Fund (SRF) program is on the verge of crossing the $2 billion threshold in total water infrastructure commitments made across the state. The Environmental Quality Council’s recent approval of the FY2027 Clean Water and Drinking Water Intended Use Plan (IUP) opens the door for the program to reach this $2 billion goal. First established with the Clean Water SRF in 1988 and expanded with the Drinking Water SRF in 1997, the program took nearly 35 years to cross the $1 billion disbursement mark in 2022. Driven by additional federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the program has been able to expand its reach to communities across the state at an accelerated pace. 1335 L Street Lincoln, NE 68508 (402) 476-2829 info@lonm.org
DWEE’s work has resulted in nearly 160 Nebraska communities benefitting from SRF investments through the IIJA. Over the last two years alone, 55 projects across Nebraska received $287 million in assistance. “Our SRF team has risen to the occasion to develop plans for distributing these funds and has worked closely with communities across the state to ensure our drinking water remains safe and treated wastewater consistently meets federal standards,” DWEE Director Jesse Bradley said. The newly approved IUP outlines a roadmap for at least 40 new infrastructure projects to initiate over the next two state fiscal years, backed by over $175 million in new funding
assistance. Both SRF programs provide Nebraska communities with below-market loans, grants, and loan forgiveness to fund essential projects, including: • Water wells, storage towers, and booster stations; • Wastewater treatment facility upgrades; • Sewer and infrastructure extensions; and • Lead service line replacements. Because the SRF operates as Continued on page 2 Lash Chaffin Utilities Section Director Jackson Sash Utilities Field Representative