Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission approves helium extraction plant amid road and environmental questions
Summary
The County approved a conditional‑use permit for a 40x50 helium extraction building by Alex Brown & Sons and DLX Titan 2 LP, while residents questioned truck traffic, road wear and state jurisdiction over well permitting.
Lincoln County Commissioners voted July 15 to approve a conditional‑use permit for a small helium extraction plant proposed by Alex Brown and Sons LLC (lessor) and DLX Titan 2 LP (lessee). Judy Clark, the county planning administrator, described the project as a 40‑by‑50‑foot steel building to house helium extraction equipment and said the Planning Commission had unanimously recommended approval.
Public commenters raised questions about the number of wells already drilled, potential contamination, and truck traffic on narrow county roads. Several nearby landowners told the board they had seen drilling activity and one described trucks and material dumping on county roads during well work. Jason Schulz, Lincoln County Highway Superintendent, said the roads in that area have seen heavy activity from multiple projects and that county crews were working to repair blowouts and sand issues; he said the additional 1–3 truck trips every 2–3 days described in the application were not expected to cause long‑term maintenance problems once major projects finished.
Planning staff and the Planning Commission noted that drilling and well permits fall under the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission and state statutes (staff cited state statute section 57‑905), so the county’s jurisdiction is limited to the construction and land‑use aspects of the plant and any conditional‑use conditions. Commissioners emphasized that if the operation grows beyond the application’s parameters (for example, larger buildings or substantially more truck traffic), the operator would need to return for additional conditional‑use review and could face permit enforcement if it exceeded approved conditions.
During the hearing, neighbors also asked about environmental protections, road mitigation and enforcement if the operator violated the 2–3 trucks per 2–3 days estimate. Commissioners recorded that staff and the Planning Commission had considered road impacts and that monitoring/enforcement would be handled through conditional‑use compliance procedures; board members said they would take complaints from neighbors and could require the applicant to return for additional review if conditions changed.
The board approved the conditional use by roll‑call vote, based on the Planning Commission recommendation and the record of application materials and public testimony. Commissioners said they would be diligent in monitoring road use and any permit compliance issues.
Next steps: staff will prepare the formal resolution reflecting the conditional‑use permit and any conditions recommended by planning staff; neighbors were advised to report suspected violations to county staff or the sheriff for enforcement.
