Thank you for signing this petition to rebut SB 389. We have gathered 31,570 signatures! Now we must ask Gov. Holcomb to Veto SB 389. Here is the letter I wrote and emailed to Gov. today. (See below.) Please consider calling or e-mailing and voicing your concerns too. 

Thank you,

Leo 

— — — — — — 

April 20th, 2021 

Subject: SB 389

Dear Governor Holcomb,

My name is Leo Berry. I am eleven years old and a fifth grader in Carmel, Indiana.  I am the founder of Helping Ninjas™ a not-for-profit organization that aims to bring awareness to the importance of helping the planet, each other and oneself and teaches youth like me to be highly skilled at helping the world. I am also a member of Earth Charter Indiana and Carmel’s Promise Project. Protecting the environment is very important to me, and I think it should be important to you as well. 

I am writing to you today because I believe that you should Veto SB 389. 

As Governor, it is your responsibility to help Indiana the best way you can and it’s people. And helping the wetlands is one of, if not the most important, ways you can help Indiana and all of us that live here. This is our home, you must protect it and that includes conserving nature.

We need wetlands to survive. Not everyone realizes this, however, I do. Wetlands are vital to our ecosystems. 

In an ecosystem, every organism comes with a specified role and function. Thus disturbing the balance of an ecosystem will prove to be disastrous for every living thing that relies upon it. Especially in Indiana, just as oceans are important for us to breathe, wetlands help by reducing and preventing floods and erosion and help to clean our water; wetlands trap and slowly release water, filtering it through sediment and vegetation before it reaches surface and groundwater systems. And, wetlands are home to many species of wildlife including one-third of endangered species. Our state has lost 4.7 million acres of wetlands to development since 1780. Only 15% of the state’s wetlands remain. 

This bill (SB 389) puts our livelihood in jeopardy. It does not help to create a better tomorrow. If we continue to take, and take, there will be nothing left. I understand that profit may be important now to some, but how important can profit be when there is nothing left? We must always choose our planet, our home, over profit.

The United Nations created the The Sustainable Development Goals, “a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.”

While I have witnessed our Indiana Senate and State Representatives vote in favor of SB389 and continued attempts to repeal our state’s wetland protection, I cannot help to recognize that this goes directly against many of the UN’s SDGs but especially SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.”

I also think that SB 389 goes against everything that I think a being a governor stands for. By definition, a governor, is the executive head of a state in the U.S, and/or a person charged with the direction or control of an institution, society, etc. One aspect of sustaining effective leadership is responding to crises, and we are in a crisis right now. Our planet, our future, my future, is in your hands.

I am asking you on behalf of the 31,570 constituents that have signed my petition to rebut SB 389, we ask you to Veto this bill. 

I read in the news that you shared concerns about wetland protection repeal after Senate approval earlier this year, and I hope that those concerns are still present. 

I was proud to have learned this about you. I am proud that you had publicly spoken out about this and voiced your concerns. I think a governor who is willing to take a stand for nature is a true leader.

The global celebration of Earth Day is on April 22nd but I believe that Earth Day should be celebrated everyday, and I believe that the right thing to do now is to conserve our natural resources, protect Indiana’s wildlife, our ecosystems, our community members and our future. 

Just as Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'The time is always right to do what is right.' 

Now, it is your turn Governor Holcomb. 

Please do what is right, and Veto SB 389 to help your state, your country and the world.

Thank you,

Leo Berry

11 years old

Carmel, Indiana