Revisions to Indiana’s Underground Storage Tank rules adopted by the Indiana Environmental Rules Board in January 2018 will be effective soon, likely in June or July of 2018. The rule revision is still under review by the Indiana Attorney General and Governor but will be effective 30 days after the revision is accepted for filing.

Three biofuel industry groups have told the D.C. Circuit that a slew of refiners' challenge to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that set the levels of renewable fuel to be blended into the nation’s fuel supply will, if successful, undermine the congressional intent for a market-driven standard.

This is the second of a two-part report highlighting some of the new legislation from the 2018 Legislative Session that might affect environmental practitioners. In Part 1, I covered some of the changes to Indiana’s criminal laws regarding environmental violations found in HEA 1233, IDEM’s Omnibus bill. Below, I will highlight other portions of HEA 1233 and discuss other relevant legislation from the 2018 session.

While the 2018 legislative session generated no signature legislation in the environmental arena, a few bills contained noteworthy changes. In two posts this month, I will cover the highlights of this year’s legislative changes that might affect environmental practitioners. In Part 1, I discuss changes to IC 13-30-10 et seq. related to criminal violations of Indiana’s environmental statutes. In Part 2 later this month, I will cover other changes to Indiana’s environmental laws from the 2018 legislative session.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) is accepting nominations for the 2018 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence. The state’s most prestigious environmental rewards are awarded to the most innovative, sustainable, and exemplary environmental projects.

You may walk the shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana’s Supreme Court held recently. Justices settled that question in a landmark case, finding that the state’s public trust rights to the Lake Michigan shore extend to the ordinary high-water mark.

The 2018 version of Table A-6 includes all of the chemicals found in the 2017 table with the exception of barium chromate, calcium chromate, lead chromate, sodium dichromate and strontium chromate.

To update prior news alerts, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) and the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee just wrapped up five public meetings across the state to discuss how the state will disburse the $41 million it received in the Volkswagen emissions settlement.

The IndyBar Legislative Committee is currently monitoring the following environmental law related legislation.

The IndyBar Legislative Committee is currently monitoring the following environmental law related legislation.