Eco Report – January 23, 2026

In this week’s Eco Report we celebrate the life and memory of one of the founders of Eco Report – Norman Holy. He was a true believer in protecting the environment. For this week’s feature we turn back to an interview with Norm Holy from February 2nd, 2018 as he speaks with Indiana Forest Alliance Conservation Director Rae Schnapp.

 The Hoosier Environmental Council has made it even easier to stay in the loop on the 2026 Indiana General Assembly Session, where numerous environmental proposals and decisions are taking place. Bill Watch 2026 includes a list of noteworthy bills as well as expert analysis and what you can do to express your support for or opposition to these bills. Already the topics for 2026 span a range of issues such as air quality control, renewable energy regulation, and data center transparency. Bill Watch 2026 can be found on the Hoosier Environmental Council’s website.

Indiana is moving forward with a massive water project that could cost over a billion dollars to supply the LEAP tech district in Lebanon, Indiana. Citizens Energy Group will pipe 25 million gallons daily from Central Indiana sources like Eagle Creek Reservoir through 52 miles of new transmission lines, seven storage tanks, and expanded treatment plants. The major concern with this plan is that wastewater will flow back south into Eagle Creek, raising concerns among residents about contamination and transparency. Officials promise residential ratepayers won’t see higher bills. They assure residents that businesses in this tech district will take on these costs.

Unfortunately Eli Lilly is the only business to have actually broken ground there. To cover the gap until more companies move in, the state deposited $50 million from the Indiana Finance Authority, using bonds that typically support community water infrastructure, to reside in a trust for the cost coverage. Critics question whether funding a massive corporate tech park contradicts the program’s original purpose of supporting communities in need. This initiative is setting a precedent for how states prioritize water resources—especially when rural communities across Indiana still struggle with basic water quality, availability, and wastewater needs.

More than half the world’s economy depends on nature, yet forests, pollinators, and clean water are often excluded as factors in financial decision-making. But nature’s just gotten a team of accountants. Environmental economists are calculating nature’s actual contributions through natural capital accounting and the numbers are staggering: pollinators contribute $800 billion globally each year, mangrove forests prevent $65 billion in property damage annually, and a 2022 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service report showed that birders alone spent over $107 billion in a single year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that the endangered North Atlantic right whale generated $2.3 billion in sales for the whale-watching industry in a single year. Conservation groups often use these analyses to make the case for protection of plants and wildlife. And countries around the world are using these calculations to inform development decisions, while businesses increasingly face pressure to disclose biodiversity risks.

Although there are upsides to this approach, Indigenous leaders and some environmentalists argue that assigning dollar values to nature commodifies our relatives and sources of life, treating ecosystems as products rather than recognizing their intrinsic worth. Supporters insist that while it’s not perfect, speaking in financial terms gets decision-makers to actually pay attention and factor these natural considerations into the bottom-line equation. As one researcher put it, many of nature’s values only become apparent once they’re lost—and by then, the economic damage runs into trillions annually. This matters because how we value nature can fundamentally shape whether we protect or destroy it.

A federal judge ruled that a nearly-complete offshore wind farm off Rhode Island can resume construction, handing the industry a victory against the Trump administration’s efforts to shut it down. Revolution Wind was nearly 90% finished when the Trump administration halted it just before Christmas, citing national security concerns. The project’s attorney argued the delay costs more than $1.4 million daily, and specialized vessels had limited time to install remaining turbines. Judge Royce Lamberth questioned the government’s motives, especially after Trump called wind farms “losers” that lose money and kill birds.

This marks the second time a judge has overturned a stop-work order on this same project. Four other major offshore wind projects remain stalled, with hearings scheduled this week. Connecticut officials estimate the state could lose $500 million annually if the project were permanently blocked. These battles will shape America’s clean energy future and could determine whether billions already invested in offshore wind pay off or become stranded assets.

Meat’s on the menu at Tufts University, where—though a $2.1 million state grant—an innovation hub for lab-grown foods will open this year. The center will bring together scientists, food policymakers, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of “cellular agriculture”—meat grown from cells in bioreactors rather than produced from the traditional meat industry.

For years, meat production has been linked to antibiotic resistance, deforestation, and climate change, issues many vegetarians and vegans cite as reasons for their dietary lifestyles. Proponents say that cultivated (or lab-grown) meat could offer a solution to the rising global demand for meat—potentially reducing animal suffering without proposing an entire shift away from meat. Tufts already offers the world’s first undergraduate degree in cellular agriculture and this new hub will include lab equipment, a test kitchen, and an open-access bank where researchers can access cultured cells to develop products.

Despite all of this progress, the industry of lab-grown meat has seen a lot of resistance. It is banned in Florida and Alabama, and many consumers remain skeptical. From the environmental realities of expanded laboratories to the debate over hormones and growth factors in cultivated meat, this technology continues to drive questions about how to best treat our planet and its inhabitants.

A new all-volunteer not-for-profit organization called Electrify Indiana chaired by Madeline Hirschland, has started operating in Bloomington. The group will be handling the Energy Navigator program for the City of Bloomington. Between now and May 1st, teams of volunteers – especially high schoolers – will knock on 7,000 doors, half in low-income communities – to let our neighbors know about opportunities to cut their energy use and energy bills. The canvassers will invite residents to Show & Tells in people’s homes and presentations in public venues where our neighbors can hear more details on what they can do and the rebates that are available.

In this week’s feature we turn back time to an interview from February 2nd, 2018 where Correspondent Norm Holy speaks with Indiana Forest Alliance Conservation Director Rae Schnapp about the costs and value associated with Indiana State forests.

Credits:

On Air………………………………….Julianna Dailey
On Air…………………………………..Herb Caldwell
Headlines……………………………..Carrie Albright
Headlines……………………………Cynthia Roberts
Feature Report……………………………Norm Holy
Script………………………………….Julianna Dailey
Events Calendar……………………..Julianna Dailey
Engineer……………………………Branden Blewett

Are you looking for a way to make a difference on environmental issues?

Eco Report is  looking for reporters, engineers, and segment producer to report facts on how we’re all affected by global climate disruption and the ongoing assaults on our air, land and water. We also celebrate ecologists, tree huggers, soil builders and other champions who actively protect and restore our natural world, particularly those who are active in south central Indiana. All levels of experience and all ages are welcome, and we provide the training you’ll need. WFHB also offers internships.

To volunteer for Eco Report, call at (812) 323-1200, or e-mail [email protected].