Carly Sheets
"This is a State manufactured crisis, in order to leverage more development, being paid for with taxpayer dollars. The State has paid for numerous water studies over the years and believes central Indiana to be running out of water in the foreseeable future.
However, development continues. And their solution to restore one depleted aquifer, is to deplete another. Billions of dollars have been set aside for a pipeline, and yet how many billions have been invested within the White River Watershed to recharge it responsibly? Their $2B pipeline allocation could go a long way in redeveloping the watershed's dilapidated, empty, or aging sites with current best management practices and by installing wetlands and forests. This approach would sustain the White River Watershed communities naturally, while conserving another, and stimulate the economy by feeding local businesses for the redevelopment process.
But instead, the State is pursuing a pipeline. As a result, all Hoosier's water rights will be changed and a reckless precedent set.
A select few will profit from this centralized investment into Lebanon - but the majority of Hoosiers will not. Our rights will change, our tax dollars will be disproportionately sent to one community for new infrastructure, those along the tapped aquifer will be limited for growth, those along the White River watershed will be provided industrial processed (but "cleaned enough") water, those along the Mississinewa and Salamonie Lake will be on rotation to open their dams as backup water to feed the pipeline (according to the State's hydrologist), those downstream of the tap will be left hoping their wells won't dry up one day, and those north of the tap will be wondering when their drinking water will be stolen to feed now two depleted watersheds, and so on and so on.
If I were a company considering a move to Indiana, I would want to know that the State government has mismanaged central Indiana's water already, leaving concerns for existing and future development. I would want to know that their solution is to harm more communities, rather than fix central Indiana in a sustainable manner. I would want to know there is an uprising of communities and citizens fighting this project: Miami County, White County, Monticello, Tippecanoe County, Battleground, West Lafayette, Lafayette, Shadeland, Otterbein, Fountain County, Attica, Covington, Terre Haute, and more to come...Finally, I would want to know that, as a result, water wars are just beginning in the State, and their access to quality and quantity water is not guaranteed.
Just ask the Granville farmers...
-- Carly Sheets, Granville Farmer's Wife
