'Last line of defense': New bill would strip protections for many of Indiana's wetlands

[douglas9]

2. Lawmaker wants to deregulate wetlands. Her family once was cited for bulldozing them. (Feb 2020)

Environmental advocates are worried a bill that would prevent the state from protecting certain wetlands will lead to more flooding, less clean water and the loss of wildlife.

But it’s not just what the bill would do that has drawn criticism. Good government experts are also expressing concern over the appropriateness of who is authoring the legislation.

Sen. Victoria Spartz, R-Noblesville, wrote Senate Bill 229, which removes state oversight of certain wetlands near what are called regulated drains, which are thousands of miles of man-made ditches, streams, sewers and drainage pipes constructed throughout Indiana in the past century to alleviate flooding.

Hamilton County Surveyor Kent Ward says he brought the idea to Spartz, who is his local senator. He thinks the state overreached when it made the county pay more than $140,000 in taxpayer money to restore a wetlands the county cut down while repairing such a drainage system.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/17/indiana-sen-victoria-spartz-bill-deregulate-wetlands-raises-eyebrows/4564178002/