Photo credits: Carolyn Marsh and Connor Burge, The Times Anna Ortiz, The Times
HAMMOND â While a mass die-off of waterfowl from earlier this year is still being investigated at Wolf Lake, another investigation was sparked after pieces of plastic and Styrofoam were found in the water in the nearby George Lake in Hammond.
Ron Novak, director of the Hammond Department of Environmental Management, said the Indiana Department of Environmental Management was contacted to investigate after plastic pellets were found by a resident April 3 in the north basin of George Lake.
âWe have been working with IDEM to gather the information on that particular discharge, working with the Hammond Sanitary District and the Hammond Port Authority,â Novak said at a public meeting April 21 at Lost Marsh Golf Course. âWeâve had several meetings with IDEM and we are looking at where that material came from and identifying the material.â
ABC57 News in South Bend, Ind. covers all of Michiana including St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaPorte and Marshall counties in Indiana and Berrien, Cass, Van Buren and St. Joseph counties in Mich.
Governor Holcomb signs wetlands repeal bill into law despite pushback
More than 100 organizations called on the governor to veto a bill they say will irrevocably harm a crucial natural resource, and increase expenses in the long run.
Credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb speaks during a media availability from the Statehouse, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in Indianapolis. Author: The Associated Press Updated: 8:58 PM EDT April 29, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS A bill removing some protections from Indiana’s already diminished wetlands was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb Thursday despite widespread criticism that it could damage waterways, wildlife and vegetation.
The wetlands measure passed out of the Legislature April 14 and has sparked bipartisan opposition within the Republican-dominated Legislature.
Credit Wikimedia Commons
Gov. Eric Holcomb has signed a controversial bill into law that takes away state protections for many of Indiana’s wetlands.
Senate Enrolled Act 389 removes protections for a whole class of smaller wetlands and nixes some for another class of wetlands that the state considers somewhat “rare or ecologically important.” The Indiana Department of Environmental Management estimates more than 80 percent of the state’s wetlands fall into these two categories.
Supporters of the new law said Indiana’s wetland protections were too strict causing home prices to go up and creating conflicts between farmers and state environmental regulators.