Terrestrial Invasive Plant Rule on January NRC Agenda For Review
SICIM Email
Wintercreeper is a highly invasive vine still being sold in Indiana, just one of the 44 species that will be regulated if this rule is implemented. Photo by Emily Finch, Knox County Indiana.
SICIM last updated you on the process to regulate 44 terrestrial invasive plants in Indiana in November (see here). Since then, the public hearing on the proposed rule took place on December 19th, and the public comment period closed on December 20th.
Now, as the next step in the process, the rule has been placed on the agenda for the Natural Resource Commission (NRC) meeting on January 15th. This will include a review of the terrestrial plant rule, public comments, and the public hearing officer’s recommendations.
Meeting logistics: January 15, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., ET (9:00 a.m., CT) at the Fort Harrison State Park, Garrison, 6002 North Post Road, Indianapolis.
Public Comments & Hearing Officer’s Recommendation
As part of the rule making process, all public comments have been compiled and are available to view here., along with the Hearing Officer’s recommendation.
According to the DNR, there were over 500 submissions with the overwhelming majority in favor of the rule! The official recommendation of the Hearing Officer is final adoption of the proposed rule.
SICIM is extremely pleased to see such support for this rule, and would like to thank everyone who commented and helped to move it forward.
If you don’t want to read all of the comments in the public hearing document, below is a letter by the DNR as a response to public comments that we think summarizes things nicely:
Next Steps
For full details on the rule visit the NRC Rule Making Docket and scroll to the bottom of the page to view documents associated with the Terrestrial Invasive Plant Rule. This includes the rule itself, as well as an anticipated timeline. Should the rule receive final adoption by the NRC, it would then be reviewed by the Attorney General and submitted to the Governor before becoming effective.
SICIM will continue to keep you updated on the rule’s progress.