This bill would do an end-run around any attempts to control or stop the siting of, say, a pipeline to take a huge amount of water from one area to another. Sound familiar? More wording - "...Prohibits a political subdivision (like our county commissioners) from taking specified actions concerning the siting, construction, or deployment of facilities, equipment, and infrastructure in connection with a multi-jurisdictional infrastructure project. Provides that a person that seeks to locate, construct, or deploy any facilities, equipment, or infrastructure in connection with a multi-jurisdictional infrastructure project is not required to obtain from a local authority a permit, or any other land use or zoning approval, with respect to the siting, construction, or deployment." (full text of the summary and updates on its status here: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1628/details)

If this had been in effect when we first heard about the plans for the LEAP pipeline, there would have been nothing we could do to stop it. We would be stuck living with the consequences.

Please contact your representatives to urge them to vote NO on HB 1628. And then contact people you know in other areas of the state to let them know how dangerous this bill is.

As expected, they found that there is lots of water in Indiana, but it is not distributed evenly. Of interest are predictions that the population of the state will fall (leading to less water needed for people) while manufacturing will increase (leading to more water needed for factories).

Near the end of the presentation are recommendations. These include:

• Enhance supply of surface and/or groundwater
• Decrease demand for water
• Better understand and manage water as a limited resource.

These look like reasonable recommendations, from the standpoint of protecting water. But we have not seen the Indiana statehouse take any reasonable actions yet - in fact, they usually do the opposite.

You can find the presentation here:

https://www.in.gov/ifa/files/IFA-North-Central-Water-Studies-Presentation-to-stakeholders-Dec-2024.pdf

Candidates for Governor

• Mike Braun, Republican: “Our state has invested too much time and money into the LEAP project to allow it to be jeopardized by the poor communication and lack of collaboration we have seen from state officials surrounding the efforts to secure a sustainable water source to meet the needs of this fast-growing region. Access to a reliable source of water is nothing new for this region of the state, and many other regions are facing similar water challenges, but for far too long, state officials have ignored the obvious need to find a solution that benefits both communities with abundant water resources and those with scarce water resources. As governor, I will focus on delivering affordable and reliable access to utilities for all Hoosiers.”
• Jennifer McCormick, Democrat: “It is short-sighted and irresponsible for leaders to sacrifice one for the advancement of the other," she said. "Strong leaders also understand it is essential to include stakeholders from the onset of such projects with the goal of governing with accountability and transparency. As your next governor, I will demand such an approach to statewide opportunities to avoid foreseen and unforeseen consequences and unnecessary community division.”
• Donald Rainwater, Libertarian: "I believe that the IEDC has been moving forward with the LEAP District Project in Boone County and specifically with the water pipeline planning prematurely and without truly minimizing the impact and cost to the taxpayers, landowners, and residents affected by this project," he said. "In a state government of the people, by the people, and for the people, 'We, the People,' must always take precedence over corporate-centric economic development."

Read more here:

He states, "Recklessly throwing more taxpayer dollars at this underperforming project is not a solution. Hoosiers deserve more forethought and answers.."

We have to wonder, what do the people living in Westfield and Whitestown think of this plan?

Read the whole article here:

Another day, another plan — but at what expense? • Indiana Capital Chronicle

The State Budget Committee approved another $100 million in infrastructure spending on LEAP - a speculative industrial park.

Indiana Capital ChronicleBrian Daggy

You can read more here:

When it became clear that Mr. Sanders was going to continue saying he was the leader and creating events without consulting us, we chose to quietly distance ourselves from him.  In response, he has publicly made these spurious accusations.  We are sorry that he has chosen to direct his focus on human conflicts.  We hope that the community will instead focus on the serious threat that the IEDC and the LEAP project pose to our land, our water, and our way of life. 

Stop The Water Steal

On 25 June 2023, we were returning home from cycling along Division and South River Roads and were heading south on CR 700W going over Granville Bridge. We both noticed a large pipe extending out over the Wabash River bank discharging a significant amount of water. To that point, June 2023 had been dry, almost drought conditions.

We couldn't figure out the reason a farmer would be pumping water into the river. As we continued south on CR 700W, we were passed by "Cascade" well drilling equipment leaving the field south east of Granville Bridge where the test well is located.

As noted above, June 2023 had been rather dry and we were watering our vegetable garden with two garden hoses on 25 June after we completed our cycling. Historically when we watered our garden, we were also able to shower, do laundry, and other chores requiring water from our 165' deep residential well. This was not the case on 25 June 2023. I went to take a shower and we didn't have any water. We shut off the sprinklers in the garden and waited for several hours.

Confused and agitated, we started to investigate Cascade and any well drilling in this location.

Through our searches, we found out about the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette's "Pipelines, Progress, and Policy: A Public Forum on Water Use and Transfer" (https://leaguelafayette.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=460858&module_id=571808) that was held on 26 June 2023 at the Tippecanoe County Fair Grounds. This was the first that we had heard anything about the LEAP project in Lebanon and the unfathomable amount of water that was being "proposed" to be pumped > 35 miles south to Lebanon, Indiana.

Our 10-acre homestead is one mile away from the first test well. We were negatively impacted with the first test well discharge test.

How badly will we be impacted if the proposed pipeline is built? Subsequent tests on the two other test wells were performed in the fall and winter when the commercial agricultural fields were not being irrigated and do not reflect peak water draw from the Teays River Aquifer. We have invested 20+ years of blood, sweat, and tears in creating what we thought was our "slice of heaven." We now feel like it may be a nightmare.

-- April Sauer

Soon after they started drilling, we had issues with our water.

The first issue was caused by a huge rust deposit that clogged the filter of our water softener, clogged our washing machine and dishwasher to the point where they stopped working, and caused our water to turn a deep red color.

Our pipes are plastic and could not be the cause of the amount of rust build up that occurred that day. That was the day we stopped drinking our tap water. I have included a photo of our water softener filter to show just how much rust went through our pipes due to the testing.

Not long after that, another instance occurred where water came out of the tap clear, but boiled red. If we had not stopped drinking the water, we could have unknowingly been drinking those deposits in our tap water the entire time.

On and off the smell of the water has been unbearable, it has completely dried out my hair, and the buildup on our skin from showering has caused us to breakout.

These things did not happen before the testing. Our water was clear, it was delicious, it was safe to drink and shower in. What we want to know is, if all of this has happened during the testing period, what is going to happen to our water next?"

-- Heather Walsh

I am now adamantly opposed to any threat to the sanctity of these invaluable natural wonders, and this is why I vehemently oppose the LEAP pipeline, or any other measure, that seeks to tap, capture, transport, or otherwise compromise the delicate ecosystems in Tippecanoe County. This is why I volunteer with the Stop The Water Steal movement - we are dedicated to understanding, preserving, and protecting these invaluable resources; this is our home, as it has been for hundreds of years. I'd like for future generations to be able to experience these learning opportunities, as well as have safe, clean drinking water, throughout their lives here as well.

Nick O'Neill, Lafayette resident

Later, we requested a meeting with the INTERA hydrologist. As he sat in our living room he said the land can't sink because we aren't on clay, the Eli Lilly plume can't contaminate our well because it is in a higher aquifer, and that the nearby farmers caused the harm.

Quick research exposed these falsehoods: Granville is on a clay layer, the two aquifers are connected, and the blamed irrigation had been in place years prior with no previous issues to our water. He followed up our meeting with a text, informing us that he directed the DR to monitor our well because of the ag irrigation in the area having caused the harm.

We informed him that was false, but he did not correct his report. To date, our well remains unmonitored, and INTERA proceeded with pumping of test site #2."

-- Danny & Carla Kouns, Granville Neighbors