INDIANAPOLIS — A bill on the governor’s desk would allow certain wetlands that have been protected in the past to now be developed.
Wetlands have been a topic of discussion at the statehouse for a few years now. In 2021, the legislature rolled back regulations to build on wetlands.
Environmentalists say House Bill 1383 will roll regulations back even further. They say that’s problematic because wetlands have benefits for both people and wildlife.
“They hold and store excess storm water so that reduces flooding,” Indra Frank, Director of Water Policy at the Hoosier Environmental Council, said. “While they are holding that water, they are allowing it to soak in and replenish our ground water and that is what we need for our wells.”
Many wetlands are currently protected from being built on due to the state law that is currently on the books.
HB 1383 would allow for some Class 3 Wetlands to be reclassified to Class 2, which don’t have as much protection. Classes of wetlands are determined by how much human impact there has been done to them.