Lunch & Learn with Jim Macy, Director of the NE Department of Environmental Quality

Please join us for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the ACEC NE Environmental & Energy Committee featuring Jim Macy, Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

Jim will offer insight on recent legislation that combined the two agencies, an update on the recent blizzard and flood response, and discuss upcoming efforts on drinking water and waste water infrastructure.

Governor Pete Ricketts announced that Jim Macy would serve as Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in March 2015. On August 1, 2018, Governor Ricketts announced Jim as the Interim Director of the Nebraska Energy Office along with his continued leadership responsibilities with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Previously, Jim has served in a variety of capacities (for approximately 28 years) throughout the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and a Master’s in Education with a focus on Vocational/Technical Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

During the last 3 years at NDEQ, Jim has implemented an on-line application process for Construction Storm-Water permits and 9 categories of on-line Air Construction permits, a rapid response team to work on new permit applications with Department of Economic Development and many other projects that focus on compliance assistance and quality environmental reviews in a timely manner.  These process improvements have reduced the applications and approval processing time from months to 1-day turnaround for the general permit applications and for more complicated Air permits to an average of 88 days.  He also has implemented a short-form compliance determination notice that is reviewed at the conclusion of each inspection and has introduced Permit Assistance Visits for new, modified or facilities that have new personnel.  These actions are designed to be proactive and to “Make it Easy to be in Compliance”.  Since his appointment Macy has been engaging Nebraska leadership in all sectors to open a dialogue with the department.