Jackson opposes bill to deregulate IDEM

Today, Feb. 24, State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond) voted no on Senate Bill 277. The bill passed out of the House by a vote of 53-45 and returns to the Senate for review of the changes made in the House.

SB 277 drastically changes the ability of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to protect human health and the environment. The bill eliminates hundreds of mandates and turns many requirements into discretionary actions. SB 277 provides that Indiana’s environmental regulations cannot be more burdensome than federal law, while simultaneously repealing protective offices and a majority of IDEM’s oversight of pollution prevention.

Jackson released the following statement:

“Indiana consistently ranks among the worst states for industrial toxins and pollution. That is not something to be proud of. This bill will not only make this issue worse, but it will cause lasting damage to our environment and to our constituents’ health. Deregulating IDEM will lead to increased land, air, and water pollution with decreased accountability and transparency.

Jackson introduced three amendments on the floor, all of which were voted down along party lines. Each amendment focused on the Environmental Rules Board and attempted to restore the political balance of the board and the provision that appointed members are qualified for their position.

“The Environmental Rules Board deals with toxic waste, water and soil. These issues affect everybody. The people appointed to this board need to be qualified and not simply chosen because of their party.

“Protecting human health is a non-partisan issue. We need to stop prioritizing corporations and start protecting our constituents. Everyone should agree that our water and our air need to be clean. A vote for this bill is a vote for unsafe drinking water.”