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Lincoln County approves multiple temporary construction yards for NPPD project with new fire‑safety conditions
Summary
The board approved several conditional‑use permits for Forbes Brothers/Timberline temporary construction and helicopter yards tied to an NPPD transmission project, attaching conditions including signed road‑use agreements where required, a 07/01/2029 permit end date, and fire‑safety measures restricting hot work on red‑flag days and incorporating a contractor fire‑prevention plan.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a series of conditional‑use permits allowing temporary construction assembly and helicopter yards to support a Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) transmission project, adding new conditions meant to protect neighboring ranchland and county roads.
Planning staff and the county highway superintendent told commissioners the sites will be leased to contractors and temporarily improved with timber mats and aggregate. Judy Clark, Lincoln County planning administrator, said the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on May 12, 2026 with conditions that include county road agreements where applicable and an expiration date for the permits. "These properties will be used as temporary construction material assembly and helicopter yards," Clark said, and staff had "no objections to the proposed temporary construction sites as long as the Lincoln County Department of Roads has no issue with access."
Neighbors and commissioners pressed contractors about fire risk on high‑wind, "red flag" days in the Sandhills. Sam McLaRoy, who identified himself as senior project manager for Forbes Timberline, presented the company’s fire‑prevention materials, including a hot‑work permit form and a project‑specific mitigation plan. "We do take fire prevention seriously," McLaRoy said, and described water trucks, fire extinguishers and procedures the contractor plans to use on site.
Jason Schultz, county highway superintendent, said county staff have reviewed preliminary haul‑counts and drafted a haul‑road agreement for the project but that signed agreements were not yet in hand. Commissioners required a county road agreement as a condition where road use would occur and clarified that the permits will expire on 07/01/2029. They attached additional conditions across the permits requiring "reasonable precautions to prevent fires during red‑flag warning events," cessation of hot work on such days, and incorporation of Forbes Timberline’s hot‑work and fire‑prevention plans into the permit exhibits.
Board members said they expect county staff to enforce the conditions and retain authority to rescind permits if conditions are violated. The permits were approved by motion and roll calls recorded during the meeting; several commissioners voiced support while at least one recorded vote against a particular motion was noted in the transcript.
