ICV Legislative Update: Week of January 17, 2025
It was a busy week at the Statehouse with hundreds of bills filed. We are busy reading and digesting everything that’s happening!
Our Conservation Campaign Manager Desi Rybolt testified on Senate Bill 4, which addresses long haul water pipelines and water withdrawal permitting. ICV currently is neutral on the bill.
Desi was featured in coverage from WISH-TV and Indiana Public Media.
BILLS WE ARE WATCHING
We are seeing some concerning issues emerge in these early weeks, including lawmakers moving to potentially delay or prevent the retirement of coal and forcing ratepayers and taxpayers to bear the cost of unproven energy sources at a time when Hoosiers can least afford to pay more.
House Bill 1007: HB 1007 is a House priority bill covering many energy issues. This bill includes:
- Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) tax credit with a minimum financial impact to taxpayers of $140 million per SMR
- Shifts research and development costs of SMRs on to Hoosiers without government oversight = being charged for something that does not exist
- Expedited approval process for new energy generation to meet large load customer demand (such as data centers)
- Puts barriers in place on retiring or repurposing energy generation facilities, typically the retirement of coal fired power plants
- Financial assurances from large load customers when requesting new energy generation resources from public utilities
HB 1007 is scheduled for testimony only in House Utilities Committee on Renewable Energy Day, Jan. 21 at 10:30 a.m.
OPPOSE – Senate Bills 423/424 contain similar SMR language to what is found in HB 1007.
SB 423 creates a SMR pilot program shifting research and development costs on to Hoosier ratepayers. SB 424 allows utilities to shift research and development costs on to Hoosier ratepayers without assurance that a project will be built.
Contact your legislator, especially if they serve on the Senate Utilities Committee, and urge them to oppose SB 423 and SB 424.
SUPPORT – House Bill 1371 and House Bill 1581/Senate Bill 541
These bills would enable independent community solar projects in Indiana. Community solar allows multiple participants—individuals, businesses, and organizations—to share the benefits of a single solar energy project.
Contact your legislator, especially if they serve on the House or Senate Utilities Committees, and urge them to support community solar.
SUPPORT – Senate Bill 422: Requires the public utilities and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to study and evaluate energy grid enhancement technologies to more efficiently and reliably deliver energy to customers. These technologies are essential to modernize our energy grid, increase efficiency, and deploy renewable energy. Contact your legislator, especially if they serve on the Senate Utilities Committee, and urge them to support SB 422.
There are quite a few water-related bills that have been introduced and we are keeping an eye on them for you. The following bills are the ones currently highest on our radar:
NEUTRAL – Senate Bill 4: Water matters
You may have seen us in the news testifying in the Senate Utilities committee. We are pleased to see SB 4, as it would establish a permitting structure for significant water withdrawals. As written, it would exempt the Lebanon LEAP district from this change, though we believe the data that would be collected is important. It also does not currently include all groundwater withdrawal. After discussions, we are optimistic that this can turn into a bill we are happy to support.
SUPPORT – House Bill 1553: PFAS Biosolids Testing
This bill would implement a reporting requirement for polluters of PFAS, and a testing and reporting requirement for landowners who would apply biosolids to their land.
OPPOSE – House Bill 538: PFAS Chemicals
This bill would create an exemption for some of the most commonly used PFAS chemicals from future regulations before any regulations are even set in place, allowing them a clear path to continue business as usual and putting us at risk of additional exposure.
TAKE ACTION ON PFAS
Senate Bill 1286: PFAS Chemicals
Share your concern about the risks of PFAS and voice your support for Representative Cash’s polluter accountability and transparency bill Senate Bill 1286 with one click!
GOOD NEWS
Senate Bill 211: Clean Water Indiana Program
This bill would establish a permanent option to use Clean Water Indiana funding to remove and manage invasive species. So far this has moved forward without issue, and we are pleased to see it! Invasives are a threat not only to biodiversity and our native species, but they affect our soil’s water retention and can contribute to soil erosion. They require constant attention and continued removal to ensure they are eradicated. Making this a permanent option is something we are thrilled to see!
