Diverse Groups Unite Against Bill that Would Weaken IN Environmental Regs
Mary Kuhlman, Managing Editor
Thursday, February 20, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - A diverse group of organizations has united against legislation they said would weaken the state's ability to protect the health and safety of Hoosiers. House Bill 1143 would require that Indiana's environmental rules and standards could not surpass federal environmental rules and standards.
Former legal counsel to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management Rosemary Spalding is among those concerned.
"It just totally hamstrings our environmental rules board in terms of giving them the flexibility they need to do appropriate rules for what's in the best interest of Indiana citizens," Spalding said.
Sixteen Indiana-based groups announced opposition to the bill on Wednesday, including the Indiana State Medical Association, League of Women Voters of Indiana, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light and Kids' Environment. House bill 1143 has been approved by the Indiana House and could be heard by a Senate committee as early as Monday.
Pastor Dennis Shock, a board member of Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light, said protecting the air, water and soil is a matter of policy and faith.
"As a pastor and person of faith, I believe we need to take care of the earth in the best way possible, and this bill is not doing that," Shock said. "It allows the state to get by on as little as possible in taking care of our state and its environment."
Hoosier Environmental Council Executive Director Jesse Kharbanda said state leaders need to keep the best interest of the people in mind, in light of recent environmental tragedies in West Virginia and North Carolina.
"The flip side of being a very industrialized state and being a very agriculturally intensive state is that those things can pose risks to the environment and to public health, and we need to give our state policymakers as many tools as we can, so they can head off tragedies that we've seen in other places," Kharbanda said.
House Bill 1143 was authored by Rep. David Wolkins (R-Warsaw), who said federal regulations are strong and the legislation is needed to prevent negative economic repercussions if future Indiana environmental leaders call for tests or standards the state cannot afford.
get more stories like this via email
Health and Wellness
A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …
Social Issues
Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …
Social Issues
Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…
Social Issues
A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …
Social Issues
Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …
Social Issues
Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…