We have reached nearly 15,000 signatures! Thank you for your continued community support and dedication to protecting central Indiana’s drinking water and saving Eagle Creek park and reservoir.
We would like to share two urgent action items for each of you to take and information about upcoming meetings and events, including the rescheduled community meeting with Citizens Energy and Lebanon Utilities.
ACTION ALERT
There are two bills in the Statehouse that seem to be easing the way for the LEAP project. Both bills would impact our efforts to demand protection of the Eagle Creek Reservoir. It is CRUCIAL for each of us to take action against these bills in order to protect Indiana from large companies who want to take our land and potentially harm our natural resources and drinking water. Otherwise, we will have no power in stopping them in the future.
The following information is from the Hoosier Environmental Council newsletter 2/2/26.
Please click the two links below which direct you to forms that easily allow you to quickly take action on both bills to urge Indiana House Representative to oppose SB 277 and to urge your senator to amend HB 1333 and prevent unchecked development on Indiana's Class IV - VIII agricultural land.
TAKE ACTION ON HB 1333: This will allow large companies to build on farm land with no zoning and no public input.
“As written, HB 1333 would allow industrial‑scale developments - including, notably, hyperscale AI data centers - on this class of land to proceed without rezoning permits or variances from local governments and with zero input from nearby residents.”
TAKE ACTION ON SB 277: This will weaken IDEM regulations which are key to protecting the quality of Eagle Creek's
“Among the many objectionable provisions of SB 277 are ones that remove the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Commissioner's obligation to take legal action when faced with evidence of pollution that presents an "imminent and substantial endangerment" to Hoosiers and their livelihoods. In its current form, SB 277 offers legal action as one option the IDEM Commissioner "may" pursue; doing nothing is another option. Other provisions stipulate that, when considering new regulations, IDEM must consider whether a new environmental rule is "burdensome" to the industry being regulated.”
Some of the following information is from the Eagle Creek Park Advisory Committee update 2/3/25.
MEETING UPDATES
Thursday, February 5: City-Council Parks Committee Meeting (200 E Washington Street, Indianapolis, 46204)
The Chairman of the City County Council Parks Committee invited the Eagle Creek Park Advisory Committee to present at their meeting on February 5th at 5:30 pm. This meeting will be held at the City County Building in the Public Assembly Room on the second floor. This will be the first public meeting regarding the LEAP project impacts on the park/reservoir, and the first opportunity to hear from Citizens Energy Group regarding their role in the project. You may attend the meeting in-person or watch it on the city's public access station Channel 16 or livestream it online at https://www.indy.gov/activity/channel-16-live-web-stream
Monday, February 9: Water Stewardship Day at the State House (200 W. Washington, Indianapolis 46204)
Sierra Club is hosting their annual Water Stewardship Day at the State House on February 9 from 9 AM - 3 PM to facilitate an opportunity to speak with local legislators. If you would like to advocate for Eagle Creek park and central Indiana’s drinking water, these opportunities will occur throughout the day as legislators’ schedules allow. If you are interested in joining the event, please register with Sierra Club here. We will be presenting this petition to legislators at this event. I look forward to representing each of you who signed and commented on this petition to save Eagle Creek.
Tuesday, February 10: Rescheduled Eagle Creek Community Meeting (New Augusta Academy, 6450 Rodebaugh Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46268)
Protect Pike Township and Hoosier Sierra Club have officially rescheduled the Citizens Energy and Lebanon Utilities Community Meeting for Tuesday, February 10th, doors open at 6:30 PM. Citizens Energy and Lebanon Utilities will share presentations and then Eagle Creek Park Advisory Committee leaders will speak. These presentations will be followed by a Q&A session with the community. Questions may be submitted in advance here.
Doors will open at 6:30 and the session will start at 7 pm. Registration is not required, but will provide community members with a direct update if weather issues occur again. Register to attend at this link. Parking is available on the north side of the school. Please enter through glass doors in the center of the building and allow extra time to park. Bring your signs, wear your Eagle Creek gear, and come prepared to peacefully show our support to save Eagle Creek and protect central Indiana’s drinking water!
You can find all of this information and more including another petition urging the Mayor to protect Eagle Creek at Protect Pike Township
Please continue to share this change.org petition with your friends and neighbors so we can be sure to reach 15,000 signatures by Monday when the petition will be presented to legislators in person at Water Stewardship Day!
https://www.change.org/SaveEagleCreek
Thank you for your continued participation and support! We will save Eagle Creek!💦🦅