April 8, 2009 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide over two million dollars to Nebraska to assess and cleanup underground petroleum storage tank leaks as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
 
“Nebraska, like other Western states, continuously struggles with access to adequate amounts of water,” said Senator Nelson. “These funds will ensure that our precious groundwater is protected from contamination while also creating jobs for hard working Nebraskans.”
 
As of September 2008, the EPA reports that there is a backlog of 1,806 cleanups of leaking underground petroleum storage tanks in Nebraska. The most significant risk is that, without cleanup, petroleum leaks could contaminate groundwater, making it hazardous to drink. According to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), over 80% of Nebraskans rely entirely on groundwater for their drinking water. Underground petroleum storage tank leaks can also lead to other health and environmental risks, including fire and explosion of the tank.
 
There are several cleanup methods used on leaking underground petroleum storage tanks that have been proven effective for over a decade. Over 4,000 successful cleanups that were administered by the EPA have occurred in Nebraska. Certain characteristics of the site, like the type of soil and its distance from groundwater, help determine which method is used. This information is discovered during the first phase of the cleanup, called the site assessment. Once the method is determined, the project is administered by professional cleanup contractors.
 
Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009.
   
  Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his website as it becomes available.  Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/issues/stimulus/index.cfm for more information. 

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