Holcomb's comments encourage Wabash downstream officials

Dec. 22—Municipal and county officials along the Wabash River in Indiana, including Terre Haute, say they are encouraged by Gov. Eric Holcomb's promises of caution regarding proposed construction of a proposed 35-mile long pipeline that would pump up to 100,000,000 gallons of water a day from Wabash River aquifiers in the Lafayette area planned high-tech economic development district in Boone County.

On Dec. 15, Gov. Eric Holcomb met with Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, West Lafayette Mayor-elect Erin Easter and Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh.

Earlier this month, Terre Haute City Councilman Todd Nation introduced a resolution that was subsequently passed here.

Terre Haute joined the cities of Lafayette, West Lafayette, Monticello, Attica and Covington; Tippecanoe County, Fountain County and White County and the towns of Battleground and Shadeland in expressing opposition to the proposed pipeline, and requested studies be done to gauge effects of such a pipeline on the immediate area and on downstream communities.

A study being conducted by The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) was halted due to the fact that it was considered "ineffective," Murtaugh told the Tribune-Star. A new study will be conducted by the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA).

"IFA taking over the study is a good thing," Murtaugh said. "I have faith in IFA conducting the study with a third party — it will be a balanced, accurate study of a much larger area. The third party review will help public confidence."

IFA's study is scheduled to be completed by fall of 2024.

"It's important to see data coming from a third party other than the IEDC," agreed Nation.

"None of us know what the effect will be. To get more information is a positive for Terre Haute, for Wabash River communities and for the whole state," the city councilman said. "The fear is that this greenlighting could have been the first of what could be moving water around the state in order to meet the demands of industry."

Nation added, "I would like to believe that 10 communities asking for more information and a pause had an effect" on Holcomb's subsequent decision."As more communities piled on, our collective voices became hard to ignore. But the real work was done by the leaders in Lafayette and West Lafayette.

"Our local effort was just to try to amplify what they were saying. I wanted to go on record that we stand in solidarity with the Wabash River communities," Nation said.

Murtaugh agreed that the protest's strength-in-numbers approach helped achieve the desired effect.

"I certainly do," he said. "There was a lot of political heat to do that and criticism and skepticism about IEDC," he said.

"There was a ton of media that generated a lot of political heat," Murtaugh added.

"I'm delighted the government is talking about these things," Nation said. "It represents a victory for the people of Lafayette and other communities downstream, like ours."

Attempts by the Tribune-Star to get a comment Friday from Holcomb's office were unsuccessful.

The IEDC proposed to build the pipeline to a Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace Innovation District (LEAP) in Lebanon that would attract tech industries. IEDC sought to circumnavigate legislative processes to build the pipeline. Thanks to Holcomb's discussion with local leaders, that will no longer be the case.

"Another component we found comfort in was the assurance that the pipeline itself would have to go through the public process of state legislation," Murtaugh said.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.