Editorial
Lawmakers needlessly trash wetlands protections
After lawmakers passed a damaging bill last month threatening many of the state s remaining wetlands, more than 100 groups pleaded with Gov. Eric Holcomb to veto the measure.
Senate Bill 389 “opens the door to irrevocable impacts on our rich natural history and puts millions of Hoosiers at risk,” they wrote in a letter to the governor. The legislation will lead to increased erosion and flooding, the letter says, and the bill imperils “the diverse wildlife that makes Indiana special.”
The groups – environmental advocacy organizations, conservation districts, the League of Women Voters, Fort Wayne-based Little River Wetlands Project and municipalities, including the city of Angola, among others – ultimately were just voices in a wilderness endangered by what is now Senate Enrolled Act 389.
Itâs been almost a week and I still donât get it. Indianaâs Governor, Eric Holcomb celebrated May Day by adding his signature to a bill, SEA 389, that figures to imperil the majority of the stateâs wetlands. This wasnât your usual Business versus the Environment cage match; even the stateâs Chamber of Commerce beat this legislative dog.Â
Holcomb signed it anyway. What gives?
The bill, which is retroactive to January 1, strips state protection from the majority of wetlands found in Indiana. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management estimates that weâve already lost about 85 percent of our wetlands. Theyâve gone the way of the forests that grew here until settlers first arrived. Â
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In April 2021, Governor Eric Holcomb signed S.B. 389, repealing the majority of Indiana’s state-regulated wetlands law. The repeal was met with bipartisan opposition, arguing that reduced wetland regulation may negatively impact water quality, flood control, wildlife habitat and the outdoor recreation economy. Those who supported the bill cite vague permitting language, over-regulation and high mitigation fees as reasons for the repeal. The legislation has major implications for property owners, including farmers and home builders, that seek to develop areas that may impact nearby wetlands.
There are generally two categories of wetlands: 1) federal jurisdictional wetlands, and 2) isolated wetlands that are regulated at the state level. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for issuing Clean Water Act permits for impacts to federal wetlands, while the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is responsible for
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Last week, Governor Holcomb signed into law SEA 389, a controversial set of changes to Indiana’s Isolated Wetlands law. Although the original version of SEA 389 virtually eliminated Indiana’s Isolated Wetlands program altogether, amendments to the act in the final version Holcomb signed into law ultimately preserved the program with some major modifications.
A wetland is an area of land that is permanently, seasonally, or intermittently flooded by water. The term generally includes swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. Isolated wetlands in Indiana are Waters of the State and are subject to Indiana s Isolated Wetlands law.
In certain instances, a permit is needed for activities occurring in a wetland. Applicants for a permit demonstrate to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management how they will avoid impacts to the wetland. If an applicant is unable to completely avoid impacts, they must demonstrate how their proposed project has min
IDEM urging farmers to use 24-Hour Emergency Spill Line
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is urging farmers to follow the proper steps if a spill happens.
Posted: May 3, 2021 11:40 AM
Posted By: Marlee Thomas
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is urging farmers use the 24-Hour Emergency Spill Line.
During this time of year, chemicals are often being transported to and from farms. As well as livestock facilities transporting manure to land apply.
Aaron Green works for the Emergency Response Program at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Green understands accidents happen, that why he encourages farmers to follow the three C’s.