2 groups appeal Indiana permit for coal-to-diesel plant
Two southern Indiana groups are appealing an air permit that state regulators recently approved for a planned $2.5 billion coal-to-diesel plant.
Energy & Environmental Law
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US won’t impose rule to protect against coal ash spill costs
The Trump administration said Tuesday that it won’t require electric utilities to show they have money to clean up hazardous spills from power plants despite a history of toxic coal ash releases contaminating rivers and aquifers.
Majority of Indiana justices rule for NIPSCO in rate fight
Asserting in a 3-2 decision that allowing a group of angry industrial ratepayers to prevail could cause the lights to go out and the furnace to switch off, a split Indiana Supreme Court has upheld a utility’s petition to raise customers’ electric bills. The NIPSCO Industrial Group had challenged Northern Indiana Public Service Co.’s second […]
New trial ordered in suit over deadly propane explosion
An appellate panel has ordered a new trial in a negligence case arising after a propane tank explosion killed two people in Clinton County. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that admission of a verbatim hearsay opinion read into evidence by a defense expert witness was prejudicial to the deceased couple’s estate.
Zipping into statutes: Overview of new laws for 2019
Although the $34 billion budget dominated the session, legislators introduced and considered more than 600 bills each in both the Senate and the House. The ones they passed covered a variety of matters, including hate crimes, hemp, gambling, foster parents, electricity generation and, of course, electric scooters.
Complex questions about justice center site safety concern prosecutor, public defender
Since the Marion County judges hired their own environmental consultant to review the remediation plans for the property where the new justice center is slated to be built, the Marion County prosecutor and public defender offices have started raising their own concerns about the level of contamination and safety of their workers.
SCOTUS sides with Virginia in uranium mining ban case
The United States Supreme Court sided with the state of Virginia on Monday, finding nothing improper about its decades-old ban on mining radioactive uranium. The ruling leaves in place the commonwealth’s prohibition on mining the largest uranium deposit in the United States.
9th Circuit weighs if climate change violates children’s rights
In a Portland, Oregon, courtroom packed with environmental activists, federal judges wrestled Tuesday with whether climate change violates the constitutional rights of young people who have sued the U.S. government over the use of fossil fuels.
IDEM to hike permit fees for first time in decades
On May 5, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill supported by the Indiana Chamber, the Indiana Manufacturers Association, and other business and environmental groups that will allow the state to raise pollution permit fees after an extensive rulemaking process that could last more than a year.
Contamination at justice center site concerns judges
After being home to a gas and coke facility for nearly 100 years, the land designated for the new Marion County Community Justice Center has a toxic legacy buried deep in its soil. Judges have asked for a second opinion on the environmental health of the location in the Twin Aire neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Fired whistleblower’s case against IDEM reinstated, remanded
A long-running dispute between the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and a terminated employee has been partially revived after a panel of appellate judges agreed the former worker could have been held personally liable for misuse of state funds.
Ex-EPA chief Pruitt registers as energy lobbyist in Indiana
Scott Pruitt, the scandal-ridden former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, registered as an energy lobbyist in Indiana on Thursday as fossil-fuels interests there are fighting to block the proposed closure of several coal-fired power plants.
Indiana Republicans push for moratorium on new power plants
In a sudden legislative move that is raising alarms for utilities and environmentalists alike, Indiana Republicans want to put a moratorium on new, large power plants just as several large electrical providers are gearing up to retire aging coal-fired generating units and replace them with renewable energy and natural gas.
Duke Energy to create plan for Indiana coal ash ponds
Duke Energy will need to create a corrective action plan for its coal ash ponds in Indiana after mandatory groundwater testing found the ponds have contaminants at levels higher than groundwater protection standards.
Charlestown residents challenging sale of water utility
A group of residents from Charlestown is challenging the sale of the local water utility to Indiana-American Water, a transaction that comes with a $13.4 million price tag. Charlestown officials say the sale will improve the local water quality in the long run while mitigating rate increases, but the challenging residents claim the opposite.
SCOTUS to determine when permits are necessary to pollute navigable waters
The US Supreme Court is reviewing a lower court ruling that seemingly expands the Clean Water Act. Under the 9th Circuit’s decision, any pollutant found in navigable water that is “fairly traceable” to a permittable discharge source is subject to permitting requirements, even if the source of the pollutant does not discharge directly into a navigable water.
EPA expands public comment period on East Chicago lead cleanup
Federal regulators are expanding the public comment period for a proposed cleanup of the site of a former housing complex in northwestern Indiana.
Cleanup set for 200,000 waste tires left at Anderson business
State environmental officials are stepping in to clean up nearly 200,000 shredded tires left at a former central Indiana recycling business.
Web Exclusive: Are E.coli outbreaks a concern for CAFOs?
Large livestock operations in the Western United States are suspected culprits in the E. coli contamination of romaine lettuce, but Hoosier agriculture experts doubt a similar situation is likely here.
Indiana joins 21-state coalition supporting Trump energy plan
Indiana joined a 21-state coalition in support of President Donald Trump’s proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era effort to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.