Gov. Dave Heineman expanded early roadside haying efforts Thursday, due to drought conditions throughout the state.

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Heineman directed the Nebraska Department of Roads to advance the starting date for roadside haying to July 5, instead of July 15, in 13 counties: Antelope, Boone, Buffalo, Cedar, Clay, Dixon, Fillmore, Johnson, Knox, Madison, Nance, Pierce and Saline.

On Tuesday, the Governor directed early roadside haying to begin on July 3 for the following 55 counties in central and western Nebraska: Adams, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Boyd, Box Butte, Brown, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Franklin, Furnas, Frontier, Gage, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant, Greeley, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Jefferson, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Nuckolls, Pawnee, Perkins, Phelps, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thayer, Thomas, Valley and Webster.

Also, earlier this week Heineman authorized an emergency drought declaration statewide, allowing state workers and resources to help with emergency situations and prevention, and allowing maximum flexibility to the state to deploy Nebraska National Guard and Nebraska Emergency Management Agency assets and resources as needed.

The Governor and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency will continue to monitor the situation throughout the state, as the drought continues, said Jen Rae Hein, the press secretary for Heineman.