State Legislature 2001: Your Help Is Needed! by Glenn Pratt, Hoosier Chapter Legislative Chair The Indiana legislature is in session. This year we have some very good proposed legislation, and some that must be stopped at all cost. Please contact your legislators to let them know your views. If possible, please visit your representative and senator at their local meetings or in Indianapolis at their legislative offices. If you can't visit them, please write, call or e-mail them. Following are the important bills under consideration: HB 1662--Appropriation to clean water Indiana fund. SUPPORT. Appropriates to the clean water Indiana fund $12,000,000 from the state. General fund to carry out the purposes of the clean water Indiana program. Help obtain field staff and matching funds to clean up agricultural and urban nonpoint source pollution. HB 1979--Merchant power plant siting. SUPPORT. Allows local government a voice in the siting of merchant power plants. Requires an environmental impact study. Requires public hearings. Specifies the conditions that an applicant must meet before receiving a siting certificate. HB 1789--State merit employment. OPPOSE. Would eliminate merit employment at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and other state departments. Would fully return the state to a low-quality patronage system. Bill alleges that it conforms Indiana to federal requirement, but without strong backup of federal system. Repeals provisions that require the personnel director to administer tests and certify eligible lists; establish the career bipartisan personnel system; and require each agency that employs engineers to adopt rules establishing a merit system. SB 0320--Lead poisoning prevention. SUPPORT. Helps to expedite Indiana lead abatement program to address this major human health/environmental problem. Prohibits use of unsafe removal methods. SB 0225--On-site waste management districts. SUPPORT. Authorizes the establishment of regional on-site waste management districts. Helps address the significant health/water quality problems from failing septic tanks across the state. Reduces sprawl by providing an alternate to expanding sewers. SB 0244--Health database and HB 1864--Cancer registry. SUPPORT. Requires the state to expand and improve the cancer registry. Provides that the birth problems registry is to receive and record information on severe disabilities recognized at any time before a child is 4. Would allow the possible tracking of environmental/workplace impacts on health. Other Legislation of Concern See Hoosier Chapter Web page for details on these bills: SB 0121 Environmental quality service council extension. SUPPORT SB 0227 Residential sewage disposal system fund. SUPPORT SB 0236 Storm water management programs. SUPPORT SB 0338 Barrett Law installments. SUPPORT SB 0339 Environmental remediation revolving loan fund. SUPPORT SB 0243 Groundwater quality rules. OPPOSE HB 1492 Environmental quality service council. SUPPORT HB 1824 Wastewater revolving loan fund. SUPPORT HB 2042 Abandoned oil and gas wells. SUPPORT SB 0228 Water quality existing use designation. OPPOSE SB 0378 Solid waste management districts and brownfields. SUPPORT SB 0408 Underground storage tanks. SUPPORT SB 0412 Groundwater quality and coal mining. SUPPORT SB 0413 Groundwater quality standards. SUPPORT HB 1303 Flood-way excavation permits. OPPOSE HB 1315 Scenic and recreational rivers. OPPOSE HB 1363 Renewable energy tax credit. SUPPORT HB 1491 Water pollution control board. OPPOSE HB 1581 Designation of Indiana land and waters. OPPOSE HB 1689 Great Lakes Protection Fund. SUPPORT HB 1715 Lottery funds for the Indiana heritage trust. SUPPORT Copyright © 2007 Hoosier Chapter Sierra Club, all rights reserved.[8/11/02]efp

Spring 2001