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Indiana wetlands bill garners praise, criticism as it heads to governor’s desk

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Indiana wetlands bill garners praise, criticism as it heads to governor’s desk


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Supporters of wetland legislation approved 6 Feb. by the Indiana legislature say the regulations are fair to residents, property owners, agriculture and developers while those against it say the state has already weakened wetland protections and this will only serve to damage sensitive ecosystems, increase flooding and decrease water quality.

Now it will be up to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb whether he will sign the controversial bill into law.

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The legislation was introduced by GOP state Sen. Rick Neimeyer, who said it pertains to state wetlands only, not federal. It takes some of the classifications and changes those that do not meet the definition of isolated wetlands.

He said IDEM and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will be responsible for reviewing and deciding whether a specific wetland can be declassified. The process will be transparent and the agencies will have to explain their decisions.

Niemeyer said the legislation is necessary because classifying some of these “wet holes” that do not meet the definition of isolated wetlands is unfair to property owners.

Living in south Lake County he has always had a concern about flooding but does not believe the legislation will have that big of an effect on flooding. Still, he said, like others he will be watching what happens if the measure becomes law.

Niemeyer said with his experience on the Lake County Plan Commission and drainage board, he worked with the bill and thinks it is where it needs to be to be fair to all parties.

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“I understand the issues on both sides,” Niemeyer said.

State Sen. Dan Dernulc was among a group of eight Republicans to break rank and vote against the measure when it came before the Senate.

“I personally do not like the changes to the classes,” Dernulc said.

He describes himself as “a bit of an environmentalist” and would prefer to keep things the way they are. Dernulc said his is still for development.

“We have to do it with the way the good Lord made it,” Dernulc said.

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Organizations like Audubon Great Lakes are urging Holcomb to veto the legislation.

“Two years ago, lawmakers rolled back protections for more than half of Indiana’s wetlands. Yesterday, the Indiana Legislature passed a bill that could leave more vital wetlands out to dry.

Despite its fast track through the legislature, HB 1383 has faced growing opposition from Hoosiers and conservation groups. Yesterday’s Senate vote demonstrated a lack of consensus among lawmakers. Governor Holcomb can protect Indiana’s natural resources by vetoing this problematic bill,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, organizations like the Indiana Builders Association have come out in support.

“We support clearly defined isolated wetlands classifications to provide regulatory relief for property owners and developers while ensuring protection of high-quality isolated wetlands,” according to the IBA website.

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“In 2021, the Indiana General Assembly enacted legislation that protects high-quality isolated wetlands while reducing the regulatory costs and permitting requirements on low-quality Class I isolated wetlands in Indiana,” it continued.

“In the years since the law was passed, property owners and environmental consultants who conduct wetland delineations have found that the State Regulated Wetland Class Determination Worksheet utilized by the Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management (IDEM) presented some implementation challenges as it related to the intent of SEA 389 and the classification of isolated wetlands in the state,” the statement read.

Lake County Surveyor Bill Emerson Jr. said losing any wetlands will increase flooding and decrease water quality.

“I view wetlands as a public resource just like our other waterways that need to be protected. I’m hoping our governor feels the same way,” Emerson said. Emerson was among those opposed to the legislation who spoke out against it in 2023.

“Changing those classifications means that more ecologically important wetlands will be categorized in a way they will not be protected,” Emerson said.

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He said the state already has reduced protections for wetlands quite a bit.

“Once they are gone, they’re gone. They are expensive to recreate,” Emerson said.

Niemeyer said the legislation also contemplates recreating some wetlands lost to development through a credit system. Developers will pay credits to fill a wetland that can be used to create other wetlands or increase an existing wetland.

“It’s a two-way street. Everybody needs to be working together,” Niemeyer said.

2024 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Citation:
Indiana wetlands bill garners praise, criticism as it heads to governor’s desk (2024, February 9)
retrieved 9 February 2024
from https://phys.org/news/2024-02-indiana-wetlands-bill-garners-criticism.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
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Indiana

How to watch Iowa vs Indiana today: Time, TV channel for Big Ten basketball game

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How to watch Iowa vs Indiana today: Time, TV channel for Big Ten basketball game


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Iowa basketball is ready to hit the court again in Big Ten Conference play.

The Hawkeyes (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) remain at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday for a men’s matchup against Indiana. Head coach Fran McCaffery’s group is hoping to carry its momentum from last outing’s overtime win over Nebraska, 97-87, on Tuesday.

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Here’s how to watch Iowa men’s basketball vs Indiana, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

Watch Iowa vs. Indiana men’s basketball on FUBO

What channel is Iowa vs Indiana on today?  

TV channel: FOX

Livestream: FUBO (free trial)

Iowa vs Indiana will be broadcast nationally on FOX. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

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Can I watch Iowa vs Indiana for free on livestream? 

The Iowa vs. Indiana game can be streamed on FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Iowa vs Indiana time today 

  • Date: Saturday, Jan. 1
  • Start time: 7 p.m. CT

The Iowa vs Indiana game starts at 7 p.m. CT from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

Iowa basketball schedule 2024-25

Record: 11-4 (2-2 Big Ten)

  • Nov. 4: Texas A&M Commerce (W, 89-67)
  • Nov. 7: Southern (W, 89-74)
  • Nov. 12: South Dakota (W, 96-77)
  • Nov. 15: Washington State (W, 76-66)
  • Nov. 19: Rider University (W, 83-58)
  • Nov. 22: Utah State (L, 77-69)
  • Nov 26: USC Upstate (W, 110-77)
  • Dec. 3: Northwestern (W, 80-79)
  • Dec 7: @Michigan (L, 85-83)
  • Dec. 12: Iowa State (L, 89-80)
  • Dec. 15: University of New Orleans (W, 104-57)
  • Dec. 21: University of Utah (W, 95-88)
  • Dec. 30: University of New Hampshire (W, 112-70)
  • Jan 3: at Wisconsin, (L, 116-85)
  • Jan. 7: Nebraska, (W, 97-87)
  • Jan. 11: Indiana, 7 p.m., FOX (Iowa City)*
  • Jan. 14: at USC, 9:30 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
  • Jan. 17: at UCLA, 8 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
  • Jan 21: Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
  • Jan. 24: Penn State, 8 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • Jan 27: at Ohio State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Columbus, Ohio)*
  • Feb. 4: Purdue, 6 p.m., Peacock (Iowa City)*
  • Feb 8: Wisconsin, noon, NBC (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 12: at Rutgers, 5:30 p.m., BTN (Piscataway, New Jersey)*
  • Feb. 16: at Maryland, 4 p.m., FS1 (College Park, Maryland)*
  • Feb. 19: Oregon, 7:30 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 22: Washington, 3 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 25: at Illinois, 8 p.m., FS1 (Champaign, Illinois)*
  • Feb: 28: at Northwestern, 8 p.m., FS1 (Evanston, Illinois)*
  • March 6: Michigan State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • March 9: at Nebraska, 11:30 a.m., FOX (Lincoln, Nebraska)*
  • March 12-16: Big Ten Tournament on (Indianapolis, Indiana)*

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Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy

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Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy


FOX59/CBS4 has requested a mugshot of Victoria Howard, which has not been provided as of this article’s publication. The mugshot will be added once it is released.

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — Authorities have arrested a woman accused of helping a man flee from authorities after he allegedly shot an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.

Indiana State Police announced the arrest of 35-year-old Victoria Howard of New Albany, alleging that she assisted Austin Schepers after he reportedly shot Deputy Zac Andry on Jan. 3 in Orange Count.

A previous booking photo of Austin Schepers provided by Indiana State Police.

ISP said the incident occurred after Deputy Andry stopped to check on a disabled silver 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix near US Highway 150 and State Road 56. During this interaction, Schepers allegedly shot the deputy several times. Previous reports indicate Andry was transported to a Louisville-based hospital in “critical but stable condition.”

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Schepers allegedly fled to a residence located in the 1800 block of Market Street in New Albany after the shooting.

Photo of Deputy Zac Andry courtesy of Indiana State Police.

Detectives believe Howard was aware that Scheper was wanted for his alleged role in the encounter and that police were searching for him.

ISP accused Howard of utilizing the ride-sharing app Lyft to assist Schepers as he looked for a ride from her apartment to the area of Craig Street and Wheeler Avenue in Louisville.

Schepers was found on Jan. 4 by investigators in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue where he was eventually killed during a shootout with police.

ISP said Howard was arrested without incident on Jan. 9 in Clarksville and taken to the Floyd County Jail where she was preliminarily charged with assisting a criminal (level 5 felony) and false informing (Class A misdemeanor).

ISP added that more individuals could face additional charges for allegedly helping Schepers while law enforcement was searching for him.

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Latest forecast: How much snow will Indiana get Friday? When will it fall?

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Latest forecast: How much snow will Indiana get Friday? When will it fall?


The Bloomington area will get more snow today. Here’s how much the National Weather Service now expects to fall and when.

How much snow will Monroe County get Friday?

Aaron Updike, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis said the Bloomington area is expected to get between 2 and 4 inches of snow.

Southern parts of Indiana could see even more, with Bedford projected to get close to 4 inches and areas closer to Louisville possibly seeing 6 inches.

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When will the snow fall today in the Bloomington area?

Updike said the NWS expects the snow to begin around 11 a.m. and end about 12 hours later. However, he said, the day will bring periods of lulls and peaks, though those are more difficult to predict.

Generally, Updike said, the heaviest accumulation will occur from mid-to-late afternoon, around 2 to 6 p.m.

He urged commuters to take extra time and care, as they may experience slippery roads and sidewalks on their way home.

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What kind of snow will be falling in Indiana on Friday?

Updike said the snow should be light and fluffy. The NWS expects only light wind, with gusts of 10 to 15 mph, which means the area should not expect to see much drifting snow.

How cold will it get in the Bloomington area tonight?

The NWS projects that the cloud cover will hang around the area for a while, which will contribute to temperatures falling only to about 20 degrees.

Is there a chance of snowmelt any time soon in Indiana?

Updike said temperatures should rise to near freezing on Sunday, and the area also might see some pockets of sunshine, which should help melt some snow especially on pavement and roads.

However, he said temperatures will not rise enough in the next few days to melt all of the snow.

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Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.



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