LINCOLN- A lawsuit is being brought against the decision that the Nebraska Environmental Trust board made to award almost $2 million to a project installing ethanol blender pumps and storage tanks at gas stations. Critics of the decision have filed the lawsuit in the Lancaster County District Court and are asking for an injunction to stop the award and names the trust board as the defendant.

The challenge claims the board lacked the votes to approve the award. Eight votes are needed to take action on the 14 member board. At the February vote to approve the award the votes were 7-2 with two members abstaining. In June when the vote officially "passed" three members abstained, the vote was 7-2 again.

Controversy over this decision started in February when the recommendation was made to switch the funds from other more environmentally sustainable programs to this one. The board's grant committee advised against switching to the ethanol project. The board usually allocates $20 million a year from the Nebraska Lottery.

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