Environment

Establishes the ground water and aquifer preservation task force to recommend water regulations to the legislative council. Creates a two year moratorium on the establishment of certain major ground water withdrawal facilities during the period beginning May 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2028. Provides an exception to the moratorium.

Amends, repeals, or adds certain terms. Makes certain changes concerning the purpose, structure, and powers of the department of environmental management (department) or the environmental rules board. Prohibits the department from basing a decision solely on federal risk values that have not been promulgated through federal rulemaking. Instructs the department to avoid the use of federal risk values that are at or below background concentrations in air, water, soil, or sediment. Makes certain changes to various boards or funds. Eliminates or amends rulemaking provisions. Makes certain changes to hearing and permitting processes. Changes or eliminates certain reporting requirements. Makes various changes to the water pollution statutes. Makes various changes to the solid waste and hazardous waste management statutes. Repeals or amends various sections regarding: (1) hazardous substances; (2) the voluntary remediation programs; (3) regional water districts; and (4) citizen lawsuits. Amends provisions concerning the establishment of certain fees and the use of fee schedules. Repeals the division of pollution prevention and the office of voluntary compliance. Makes conforming, stylistic, and technical changes.

Eliminates eminent domain authority for the following purposes: (1) Acquiring a right-of-way for the construction or operation of a pipeline for transporting carbon dioxide or other carbon oxides. (2) Acquiring underground strata for a well or monitoring facility for underground storage of carbon dioxide or other carbon oxides. (3) A carbon sequestration pilot project or other underground carbon dioxide or other carbon oxides storage project.

HB 1222 exempts retention ponds from state dam regulations. This directly affects property developers, homeowners, and municipalities that maintain retention ponds for stormwater management. The bill removes requirements like safety inspections, permits, and maintenance standards currently applied to dams. It focuses solely on clarifying regulatory scope for these specific structures, not altering broader dam safety rules. The bill is currently under review by the Natural Resources Committee.

Provides that a retailer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale a covered battery or battery containing product unless: (1) the producer joins a battery stewardship organization; and (2) the battery is approved under a battery stewardship plan. Provides that a battery stewardship organization shall submit a battery stewardship plan (plan) to the Indiana department of environmental management (department) for approval. Sets out certain requirements with respect to a plan. Establishes the battery stewardship fund to cover the department's expenses in administering this act. Requires the department to publish certain information regarding battery recycling on the department's website. Provides that a battery stewardship organization may recover, under certain circumstances, all costs associated with collecting a covered battery from the producer. Allows fee based and nonfee based collection and recycling programs to operate under certain conditions. Prohibits a person from improperly recycling a covered battery. Defines certain terms. Provides that a producer and battery stewardship organization are exempt from state antitrust law with respect to planning, reporting, or operating a battery stewardship program.

Specifies that an application for a carbon dioxide transmission pipeline certificate of authority must include: (1) a risk assessment; and (2) a carbon dioxide injection estimate. Provides that when determining compensation in certain eminent domain proceedings, the perceived risk of certain hazardous conditions must be taken into account. Establishes a carbon sequestration pilot project fee program, and specifies certain conditions in relation to the fee money. Provides that a transfer of ownership in regard to a carbon sequestration pilot project does not relieve a prior operator from liability for any negligence or willful misconduct that occurred before the transfer. Requires the department of natural resources to inspect a carbon sequestration pilot project. Alters the threshold of consent one must obtain in order to use eminent domain or integration in relation to carbon sequestration.

Requires the department of natural resources to study and issue a report on the following topics: (1) opportunities to leverage public land to improve public health outcomes; (2) options for a consistent visitor fee collection system at state fish and wildlife areas; and (3) a plan to mitigate and recover from natural disasters affecting public land.

Requires the department of environmental management to adopt maximum contaminant levels for PFAS chemicals and effluent limitation standards for wastewater containing PFAS chemicals by July 1, 2027. Creates various compliance requirements for direct dischargers and indirect dischargers. Establishes various civil penalties. Establishes the PFAS chemical testing and remediation fund. Creates a PFAS chemical grant program.

Defines "data center". Prohibits a person from operating a data center in Indiana without obtaining a consumption permit from the department of natural resources (department). Sets forth information that must be included in a consumption permit application. Establishes procedures for the department to approve or deny a consumption permit application. Provides that a consumption permit may be transferred under certain circumstances. Provides that a person may consult with the department to assess the viability of a proposed data center with respect to water consumption. Allows the natural resources commission to adopt rules to implement this bill.

Authorizes a town, city, or county to establish or designate an agency to act for the town, city, or county as a local air pollution control agency (agency). Requires the commissioner of the department of environmental management (department) to enter into a contract with the agency of a town, city, or county if the agency is willing to enter into the contract. Provides that a contract between the department and the agency of a town, city, or county must: (1) require the department to advise, consult, cooperate with, and provide technical assistance to the agency; (2) authorize the agency to undertake air pollution control activities on behalf of the department or initiate enforcement of ordinances of the town, city, or county; and (3) provide for the payment of fair monetary compensation for the air pollution control activities performed by the agency. Provides that: (1) the compensation paid to an agency under a contract must be at least sufficient to cover the agency's staffing and operating costs; and (2) the rate of compensation must be adjusted each year according to changes in the Consumer Price Index.