Welcome to Clean Water Indiana
2010 Legislative Update
See bill updates in red
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 & 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).
2010 Legislative Update for Indiana's Soil and Water Conservation Districts
The following are bills that are of interest to Soil and Water Conservation Districts during the current session of the Indiana General Assembly. Brief information with links to the bills are included.
HB 1119 Disbursement of funds for SWCDs Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Authored by Representative Bob Bischoff. Allows the governing body of a soil and water conservation district to approve payment of certain expenses subject to review and approval at the governing body's next regular meeting. Requires the district's fiscal officer to certify payments.
Action: Passed the House and now moves into the Senate. Senate bill is sponsored by Mischler, R. Young and Lewis; referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 2/1/10. Passed out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee on 2/15/10. Goes to the full Senate for consideration. The bill passed the full Senate on Monday, Feb. 22, 50-0. It now goes to the Governor to be signed into law. The IASWCD supported this bill. Note that bill would not take effect until July 1, 2010.
HB 1040 Lake Management Work Group
Authored by Reps. Dembowski and Dodge. Senate cosponsors: Arnold and Stutzman.
Extends the final report date and expiration date of the lake management work group from July 1, 2010, to July 1, 2012. Allows members of the work group who are not state employees to receive a per diem for attending a work group meeting.
Action: Passed House (2/2/10); referred to Committee on Natural Resources (2/8/10).
The Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA), of which IASWCD is a member, is in support of this bill. Passed the Indiana House and Senate, however amended in the Senate to extend for only one year. Awaiting Governor’s signature.
SB 282 Drainage Issues
Authored by Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso). This bill, which is the outgrowth of a summer study committee on drainage issues, grants authority to the drainage board to receive complaints concerning, investigate, and order the removal of certain storm water related nuisances. Provides that, regarding removal of nuisances and obstructions and right of entry, the county drainage board and the county surveyor have the same authority with respect to artificial watercourses as with respect to drains and natural water courses. Provides that a county's policy for the management of storm water runoff from developed real property must designate the county surveyor's office as the office to which storm water issues are initially directed.
Action: Approved by Senate Environment and Energy Committee; passed the Senate on 2/2/10; referred to the House; sponsors are Representatives Bischoff, Cheatham, Hinkle and Smith. Passed the Indiana Senate on 2/2; passed the House Committee on Natural Resources; however never heard on the House floor. Bill died.
HB1094 Net metering
Authors: Dvorak, Culver, Koch. Requires the utility regulatory commission
(IURC) to adopt emergency rules amending the IURC's net metering and interconnection rules for electric utilities. Makes net metering available to all customer classes.
Action: 1st reading: Committee on Commerce, Energy, Technology, and Utilities; adopted by committee on 1/25/10. Passed the House on 2/2/10; referred to the Senate; sponsors are Senators Errington, Merritt and Moses. The Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA), of which IASWCD is a member, is in support of this bill. Reported out of committee, but was not heard on Senate floor. Bill died.
SB0313 Net metering
Author: Senator Merritt. Requires an investor owned electric utility to offer net metering to certain customers that generate electricity from renewable energy resources. Establishes a billing method for net metering customers.
Action: 1st reading: Committee on Utilities and Technology; adopted by committee on 1/25/10. Passed the Indiana Senate on 2/2/10; referred to the House; sponsors are Representatives Charbonneau, Dvorak and Lutz. Passed the Indiana House with amendments; now sits at conference reconciliation.
SB0282 Storm water management
Authors: Senator Charbonneau, Gard. Repeats HB 1201 while granting authority to drainage board to receive complaints concerning, investigate, and order the removal of certain storm water related nuisances.
Action: 1st reading: Committee on Energy and Environmental Affairs; adopted by committee on 1/21/10
HB1232 Logjam removal
Authors: Reps. Dermody, Dembowski, Eberhart, Davis. Removal of logjams in floodways. Provides that a permit is not required to remove a logjam or mass of wood debris that has accumulated in a river or stream.
Action: 1st reading: Committee on Natural Resources; adopted by committee on 1/28/10. Passed the House on 2/2/10; referred to the Senate, sponsors are Senators Arnold and Charbonneau. Passed the Senate Committee on Natural Resources with amendments. The amendment says that logjam removal cannot occur in a salmonid stream (under 327 IAC 2-1.5-5) or a natural, scenic or recreational river or stream under 317 IAC 702. The IASWCD Legislative Committee has significant concerns regarding this bill and its impact on water quality.
Bills That Died in Committee
SB 0097 Net Metering
SB 0368 Renewable Electricity Standards
HB 1101 Management of small lakes
HB 1201 Logjam removal
HB 1161 Confined feeding setbacks from state parks and reservoirs
Funding Issues
 Indiana continues to lag behind its Midwestern counterparts in funding for conservation. As other states maximize federal and state dollars year after year, Indiana falls behind, even though our need for conservation still continues to grow.
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>> Click here for other CWI resource materials available to SWCDs to promote Clean Water Indiana
The IASWCD Legislative Committee developed tip sheets for Soil and Water Conservation Districts to assist supervisors as you develop strategies to work with local and state elected officials on funding issues.
>> Click here for these tip sheets used during the 2009 legislative session |
