GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) board of directors will review applications for the Ron Bishop-CPNRD College Scholarship Program during at their meeting to be held via conference call at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 23, 2020. 

Five students majoring in a natural resources field will be selected to receive $1,000 scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. Applicants must be a junior, senior, or 5th-year college student majoring in a natural resources field to be eligible for the scholarship. The applicant or their parent(s) must reside within CPNRD boundaries. Applications may be downloaded at: cpnrd.org and are accepted by email, fax, or U.S. postal mail and postmarked by April 15, 2020. Call (308) 385-6282 or email Marcia Lee at lee [at] cpnrd.org for details.

Other Action/Reports

• Nitrogen Management Reports The board will consider issuing cease and desist orders to producers who are in violation of the CPNRD’s Rules and Regulations for failure to submit their 2020 Nitrogen management forms and/or Nitrogen management tests. Irrigators in Phases II/III of the NRD’s Groundwater Quality Management Program are required to submit annual reports online at cpnrd.gisworkshop.com by March 31st annually.  The reports are required prior to the irrigation season to allow producers to utilize UNL’s recommended nitrogen application rate; which is calculated as the producers fill out the forms for each of their fields.

Penalties for violation are potential fines ranging from $1,000 - $5,000 per violation and/or loss of irrigated acres, ineligibility for NRD cost-share, and restriction from transferring irrigated acres. For more information about the crop reporting form or the Groundwater Quality Management Program, visit cpnrd.org or contact Tricia Dudley at (308) 385-6282 or dudley [at] cpnrd.org.

• Preliminary Budgets The preliminary fiscal 2021 budget items for Eastern Projects, Western Projects, water programs, cost-share, and information/education programs will be discussed at respective committee meetings prior to the board meeting.

• Managers Report Lyndon Vogt, general manager, will report to the board.

• Natural Resources Conservation Service Joe Krolikowski and Mike Pavel will provide written reports.

• TAPS Program Chuck Burr, UNL, will provide a written report on the Testing Agriculture Performance Solutions (TAPS) results from the 2019 farm management competency competitions.

• Cost-Share Applications through the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation and the Central Platte NRD cost-share programs will be considered.

• Upcoming Events 
       - 2020 Board of Directors Meetings: May 28, June 25, July 23.