In this Edition of "What the HEC is Happening in the Statehouse?"

The week of April 17th is likely the final week of the 2017 Indiana General Assembly.   We are grateful for all of your advocacy!  Please be sure to take action during these critical last days of the legislative session.

1.) Give during Earth Month: your donation will be doubled and you will help others
2.) Contact Governor Holcomb and ask him to veto the anti-rooftop solar bill, SB 309 
3.) Call your legislators to support critical funding for drinking water programs
4.) Join us at upcoming presentations and events this Earth Month
5.) Support our clean water work - and unwind - at Aveda events across Indiana

A Happy Easter and a Happy Passover to all who celebrate!
1.) D uring Earth Month, Your Gift Will Be Doubled:  Your Generosity Betters the Lives of Real People
 
Richard Himsel, one of HEC's clients
Nothing motivates HEC's work more than to know that we can make a tangible difference in the lives of people.  Two families whose fate is intertwined with HEC's are the Himsels and Lannons, whose tranquil, rural lives were upended when they got a new neighbor: a factory farm with 8,000 hogs & massive waste pits.
 
The stench inside and outside their homes is ever-present and sickening, and the toll on their health and quality of life almost unimaginable. Yet they find themselves in a situation where it's nearly impossible for them to obtain relief, in court or elsewhere.
 
With so many Hoosiers in this unfortunate situation, HEC brought a lawsuit on behalf of the Himsels and Lannons to hold the factory farm owners accountable and to challenge the constitutionality of Indiana's unjust Right to Farm Laws; watch our video here. Winning this case will not only dramatically change the lives of these families but will also restore the ability of all rural Hoosiers to hold polluting factory farms accountable. However, we are up against powerful, well-funded interests and the cost of litigation is high, so we need your help.
 
TAKE ACTION:
 
To support our efforts to help families like the Lannons and the Himsels, please give to HEC.  For any purpose that you give to HEC, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar during the month of April (up to $5,000 total), thanks to our treasured friend and generous supporter Alice Schloss!  
2.) Urge Governor Holcomb to Veto SB 309, a Bill that Undermines Energy Freedom and Small Business
 
From the beginning, Hoosiers have been overwhelmingly opposed to the anti-rooftop solar bill, SB 309. We saw it in the Committee hearings. We heard it from legislators themselves. We see it in the letters to the editor against this bill across Indiana.

Governor Holcomb has a chance to side with the people of Indiana -- and veto SB 309. By vetoing this bill, the Governor will be standing up for the right for Hoosiers to affordably produce their own pollution-free electricity.  He'll be standing up for homegrown entrepreneurs, who have sacrificed so much to succeed in Indiana. Learn more about what is at stake with this bill by going here.

TAKE ACTION:
 
A.) Help get the attention of Gov. Holcomb  by joining -- as soon as possible -- our Thunderclap; the more people sign up, the more Facebook posts & Tweets will be simultaneously released on Sunday evening! It just takes 30 seconds to sign-up and it is free! 

B.) Please continue to encourage any clubs, church groups, parent circles, etc. to get together to send the Governor postcards urging him to veto SB 309! 
Send the postcard to: Governor Eric Holcomb; Statehouse; 200 W. Washington St., Room 206, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2797

C.) Contact Gov. Holcomb to urge him to veto SB 309!  Call during the work week from 9 am to 5 pm, and leave a message with Ms. Katie Reed (317-232-4567). You can also email the Governor at anytime at: GovHolcomb@gov.in.gov

3.) Call Your Legislators a Final Time to Boost Funding for Drinking Water & Clean-Up Programs!
 
House and Senate budget negotiators are meeting now to finalize the new biennial state budget contained in HB 1001. The state's latest tax revenue forecast predicts there will be an additional $200 million in revenue over the next two years, but this positive forecast will not automatically translate into the funding increase we are seeking for IDEM.

In particular, more staff resources are needed for two critically-important IDEM programs:  the drinking water program and state cleanup program. These programs ensure safe drinking water and accelerate the clean-up of contaminated sites that threaten public health & hold back economic development.
 
TAKE ACTION:
 
Budget negotiations will likely be completed early next week, so please act now! Please contact your state legislators  today and urge them to support a 10% "general fund" increase for IDEM to support staff increases in IDEM's drinking water and clean-up programs.
4.) Get More Involved by Attending Upcoming Events
And Consider Joining Our Volunteer Program!

A. ATTEND A TOWN HALL MEETING

Talk with your legislators by attending town hall meetings (called "Third House" events); these are happening across Indiana in the coming days! 

Bartholomew County -  Monday, April 17th

Hamilton County - Monday, April 17th

B. ENGAGE HEC STAFF DURING EARTH MONTH EVENTS



April 30th - Earth Month Fort Wayne

(We'll be at even more Earth Month events, as you'll see here - and note the Aveda Earth Month events in the section below!)

C. BECOME AN HEC ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE

If you want to become even more involved in advocacy both in the Statehouse and across the state consider joining our volunteer program!  Learn more here.
5.) Support HEC During Aveda Earth Month!

Keep checking in - and make a bid on - our Aveda Earth Month Online Silent Auction.

Purchase Indiana Getaway Raffle tickets at a participating Aveda salon or when you see HEC at an event during Earth Month. Three lucky winners will win an overnight package at a fun Indiana destination!

Please remember to drop off gently-used shoes for our Aveda Earth Month Shoe Drive - where HEC will receive a donation based on the weight of shoes collected through the end of April - at one of the four following locations:
  • Guys & Gals Quarters - 22 Saratoga Drive, Batesville (Mon & Fri 9a-6p, Tu, Wed, Th 9a-8p, Sat 8a-3p)
  • Sage, a salon - 2210 E. Southport Rd., Indianapolis (Tu, W 12-8, Th 11-7, F 10-6, Sat 10-4)
  • Sundance - 47 Elm Street, Zionsville (anytime, collection box in vestibule)
  • HEC - 3951 N. Meridian St., Ste. 100 (Mon-Fri 8a-5p, collection box in vestibule on lower level of NUVO building)
Upcoming Aveda Earth Month Events:

Saturday, April 22 - Water Warrior Yoga  with Bambu Salon, Broad Ripple Park
Saturday, April 22 - Earth Day Celebration  with Rhythm Salon and Spa, Newburgh
Sunday, April 30 - Running Water 5K  with InTouch SalonSpa, Fort Wayne
Sunday, April 30 - Earth Month Yoga  with Wildflowers Salon, Greenwood
See what's happening on our social sites: