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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Nebraska Public Power District: There Are Many Reasons Why It's Called the Heartland

Logistics Distribution Warehousing 2007
Located in the geographic center of the United States, Nebraska is the heart of opportunity for transportation, logistics, distribution, and warehousing. Nebraska offers excellent transportation infrastructure, low-cost electricity, strong labor resources and work force training, development incentives and assistance programs, and an exceptional quality of life. These advantages make Nebraska an attractive logistics hub.

Transportation
Nebraska is home to a 482-mile stretch of Interstate Highway 80, with I-29 and I-25 passing in close proximity to the state's eastern and western borders. One-day motor carrier service is available from most Nebraska cities to Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and St. Louis, and most U.S. destinations can be reached within two days.

Two major railroads serve the state - the BNSF Railway Company and the Union Pacific. The Union Pacific, with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, is one of the nation's major rail centers. In fact, the most direct mid-continent route to the West Coast passes through Nebraska. No major city in the United States is more than five days away by rail from Nebraska.

Commercial airlines are available at Eppley Airport in Omaha and the Lincoln Airport providing direct service to major hubs.

Industrial Rates 42 Percent Below the National Average
Electric rates have escalated significantly in other areas of the country but not in Nebraska. Nebraska utilities generate electricity with a diverse fuel mix of coal, nuclear, water, wind, and other fossil fuels. This contributes to industrial electric rates in Nebraska that are 42 percent less than the national average.

Strong Labor Resources and Work Force Training
Nebraska's offers a reliable, educated, and well-trained labor pool, along with low unemployment and workers' compensation rates. In 2005, 86.6 percent of the state's population 25 years of age and older were high-school graduates, compared to 80.4 percent nationally.

The University of Nebraska System has the largest facilities among the state's 21 colleges and universities and offers advanced degrees in most professional fields. To meet the needs of new and expanding businesses, Nebraska's statewide community college system provides specialized training programs.

Incentives and Development Assistance Programs
The Nebraska Advantage incentive package provides transportation and logistics companies investing at least $10 million and creating 100 new jobs with a 10-year personal property tax exemption on machinery and equipment. It provides investment credits, a sales tax refund, and jobs credit for qualifying businesses, as well as a variety of benefits for lower levels of investment or employment.

In addition, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) employs a professional economic development team that will facilitate the site selection process. NPPD's website, sites.nppd.com, lists available properties, energy and labor costs, community information, and industry profitability studies.

Exceptional Quality of Life
Nebraska's centralized location and Midwest values offer a safe place to live, raise a family, and make a good living. Nebraska's recreational facilities provide quality of life experiences for residents and tourists, and the amenities of good healthcare, quality communities, and genuine people make Nebraska the "heart" of the Heartland.

Dennis G. Hall, CEcD, economic development mgr.
Nebraska Public Power District
P.O. Box 499Columbus, NE 68602
Phone: 800-282-6773, ext. 5534 Fax: 402-563-5090
sites.nppd.com

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