Welcome to Clean Water Indiana
2012 SWCD Legislative Wrap Up
What is CWI?
Legislation (IC 14-32-8) authorizing funding for Clean Water Indiana (CWI) was passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 1999. At the time, $1 million per year in 2001 and 2002 was appropriated through the Build Indiana Fund (BIF). However, the 2002 dollars were reverted back into the BIF. The CWI program remained unfunded until 2005 when a unanimous vote by the legislature restructured Indiana’s conservation dollars and set aside dedicated funding from the cigarette tax to finance the Clean Water Indiana program.
Who Administers the CWI Program?
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil Conservation administers the CWI fund under the direction of the State Soil Conservation Board (SSCB).
SWCD Weekly Legislative Update – Issue 4 February 14, 2012
UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK: Bills of interest below have yet to receive a hearing. Please continue to ask your Senators to request a hearing for HB 1064. Thanks!
Below are bills of interest to Soil and Water Conservation Districts during the current legislative session. All updates will be in red. Please let us know if and when you contact your legislators!
- HB 1349 - DRAINAGE BOARDS
Rep. Dick Dodge (R-Pleasant Lake) authored this at the request of the state’s county surveyors. Primarily it overrules by statute a recent appellate decision on a case from Marshall County that undid about 150 years of practice and experience dealing with drainage assessments. The court ruled that not all property in a natural drainage-shed needs to be assessed for drainage improvements, only the property that actually adjoins the drains. This bill will make it clear that all property owners in a drainage-shed have a responsibility to support the drainage infrastructure.
Action: Referred to House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee. Passed out of committee on 1/23/12. Passed the House. Senator Kruse has sponsored. Referred to Senate Ag & Natural Resources committee.
- HB 1064 – Lake Management Work Group
Authored by Rep. Dodge and Rep. Demobowski. Extends the lake management work group's expiration date to July 1, 2014.
Action: Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. Passed out of committee on 1/13/12. Passed the House 96-0 and now referred to Senate. Senate sponsors include Senators Buck, Glick and Arnold. Referred to Senate Ag & Natural Resources Committee.
Notes: Please contact your local legislators and ask for their support of HB 1064. SWCDs have a representative on this workgroup. Please contact your Senators on this committee and ask that the bill be heard. Members include: Ryan Mishler, John Waterman, Richard Young, Jim Banks, Lindel Hume, Dennis Kruse, Timothy Skinner, Brent Steele, Jim Tomes, and Carlin Yoder.
- HB 1107 – Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing treatments. Defines "hydraulic fracturing" and "base fluid" for purposes of the law concerning oil and gas wells. Requires the natural resources commission, in regulating oil and gas wells, to adopt rules for the reporting and disclosure of hydraulic fracturing treatments.
Action: Authored by Rep. Koch. Passed the House; referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Environmental Affairs. Sponsored by Senator Gard.
Bills that died in first house:
- HB 1032 – Restrictions on Fertilizer containing Phosphorus
Authored by Rep. Dick Dodge (R-Pleasant Lake). Establishes restrictions on the application of fertilizer material that contains phosphorus. Provides exceptions for fertilizer material that: (1) contains less than 0.67% of phosphorus by weight; or (2) is used for agriculture purposes. Requires distributors and licensed commercial lawn care applicators to prepare and provide consumer educational information concerning restrictions on the use of fertilizer material containing phosphorus and best practices for lawn care.
Action: Bill never received a hearing.
Notes: IASWCD Phosphorus Use Policy (2011): Phosphorus is a valuable and essential nutrient for plant growth. We the conservation districts of Indiana support the use of Phosphorus when soil testing and application are done in accordance with Best Management Practices (BMP’s) outlined in the Indiana NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG).
- HB 1085 - Environmental review of hydraulic fracturing
Authored by Rep. Moses. Defines hydraulic fracturing. Requires the natural resources commission to regulate hydraulic fracturing. Requires an operator that performs or intends to perform hydraulic fracturing to submit an environmental compliance plan to the department of natural resources (department) for review and approval. Requires an operator to disclose chemical constituents used in hydraulic fracturing. Requires the department to publish the information received on its web site. Requires disclosure of proprietary chemical composition in a medical emergency. Requires the department to prescribe a process for reviewing an environmental compliance plan and for disclosure of proprietary information in a medical emergency.
Action: Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. Bill never received a hearing.
- SB 0394 - Bicentennial conservation fund
Authored by Senator Merritt. Establishes the bicentennial conservation fund to fund major conservation projects to celebrate 200 years of Indiana statehood. Makes an appropriation.
Action: Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Determined that hearing was not needed for the bill. Conservation Trust Fund has been established.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS Indiana’s legislators listen to their constituents. Let yourself be heard on issues that are important to you. You can write to your senator or representative at the Statehouse, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Call House members at 317-232-9600 or 1-800-382-9842. Senators can be reached at 317-232-9400 or 1-800-382-9467. You can email your legislator at http://www.in.gov/legislative/index.htm. Personal contact when legislators are home on weekends or at breakfast meetings, etc. remains the most effective way to communicate your ideas to your elected representatives. |
