Environmental/Energy Issues

Indiana Manufacturers Association

2024 Legislative Priorities

ENVIRONMENTAL/ENERGY ISSUES

The majority of manufacturers take their responsibility for environmental stewardship very seriously. This is manifested in a commitment to regulatory compliance, management systems and pollution prevention. It is vital to maintain a competitive regulatory system by ensuring manufacturers are not overrun with costly and burdensome regulations.

Definition of PFAS

Indiana code defines PFAS in Title 36 as it pertains to firefighting gear and firefighting agents but there are no other definitions of PFAS in code. However, with the discussions at the federal level and the EPA’s goal to define PFAS and add additional chemicals to the hazardous substance list, the IMA and other industry stakeholders are working to provide clarity for manufacturers in the interim by adding a definition of PFAS that is industry friendly to Title 13. The EPA has pushed their deadline back multiple times on handing down their proposed definition of PFAS and the IMA wants to ensure manufacturers have clarity in their Indiana operations. The IMA supports a definition for PFAS that pertains to entities regulated in Title 13 that is an industry-friendly, tailored definition.

Public Hearings/Meetings on Environmental Permits

Manufacturers in Indiana are beginning to face increased opposition from local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the NIMBY crowd for new, modified, and renewal environmental permits. With the rise of the environmental justice movement, manufacturers are dealing with more pressures relating to their environmental permitting with additional public meeting/hearings, which leads to delays in projects that can be costly. The IMA supports the addition of guardrails are regulatory certainty that will streamline the public engagement process and be less costly and burdensome to manufacturers.