Holcomb signs wetlands bill critics said was rushed through to 'quiet public outcry'

UPDATE: Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Bill 1383 into law Monday. Holcomb sent a statement to IndyStar after signing the bill: "This collaborative effort strikes a necessary balance of protecting and preserving Indiana's vital wetlands while supporting economic growth."

A bill stripping more protections for Indiana's few remaining wetlands was shoved through the Statehouse to quash public outcry, according to environmental advocates and some lawmakers who stand in opposition.

House Bill 1383 moved at a blazing pace: It advanced after its second reading Monday in the Senate and was approved Tuesday on third reading. The bill was the first piece of legislation to clear both houses and sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb this legislative session.

But the Hoosier Environmental Council and other environmental groups are continuing a fight to slow — if not outright stop — the momentum.

"This clearly seems to be an attempt to quiet opposition, limit discussion, and push through a bill that carries many flaws," HEC executive director Sam Carpenter told IndyStar. Lawmakers are trying to limit "bad publicity" and "public outcry," he added

The bill's author, Rep. Alan Morrison, R-Brazil, has not responded to repeated IndyStar requests for comment on the bill. Senate president Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, did not directly answer IndyStar's questions on why leadership is moving the bill so quickly.

He said in an emailed statement that there is a need to clarify Indiana's wetlands law after after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling left more wetlands regulations up to states.

"I'm pleased to have a bill before us that represents consensus reforms to Indiana's isolated wetlands laws that strike a balance between protecting our environment and property owners," Bray said in the statement.

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While such speed is not unheard or prohibited, advocates said it is unusual for a bill to land on Holcomb's desk before the official switchover of bills between the House and Senate has occurred. That deadline comes by the end of this week.

Hoosiers have sent more than 1,000 emails to Indiana lawmakers in recent days calling for more, not fewer, protections for wetlands — the result of HEC-led efforts. The group also submitted to Holcomb's office a letter and petition, currently with upwards of 1,300 signatures, asking the governor to essentially kill the bill.

Holcomb did not respond to IndyStar's request for comment. He did oppose a 2021 bill that marked the first gutting of Indiana's wetlands law, previously considered one of the more protective programs in the U.S. Still, lawmakers passed that bill and Holcomb signed it into law.

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Indiana had already lost more than 85% of its wetlands in the last century, most drained for agriculture and development. And in the two years after the 2021 law, Senate Enrolled Act 389, more than 250 acres were completely lost due to the state no longer requiring mitigation.

For the last several years, the building industry has been leading the charge to strip wetlands safeguards, arguing they are frustrated with the regulations and need less red tape to meet Indiana’s housing needs.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar’s environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.