Battery Energy Storage Systems Bill Provides Regulatory Certainty
HB 1173 / Chamber Supports

Representative Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) introduced sighting and safety legislations for utility scale battery energy storage that would be subject to approval by the Department of Homeland Security. The bill requires the operator of the battery storage to offer annual training that provides the fire department with information necessary to safely and effectively respond to a fire, discharge or threatened discharge of environmental contaminants by the battery storage unit.

It also sets some triggers for when approvals would be necessary, and the battery storage unit is subject to regulations that were of concern to the industry. Representative Pressel committed to working with the technical experts so that the bill is not too prohibitive.

The Indiana Chamber supports the bill because it provides regulatory certainty for these types of developments on the front end rather than trying to fix sighting issues with local government as they pop up like they have in wind and solar energy development. Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chairman Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) is not taking a vote on the bill until the committee’s next meeting on January 31.


Aviation Fuel Inspection Fees Pose a Threat

HB 1072 / Chamber Opposes

 Authored by Rep. Alan Morrison (R-Brazil), the bill establishes an aviation fuel account within the underground petroleum storage tank Excess Liability Trust Fund (ELTF) and requires that the inspection fees on aviation fuel and jet fuel be deposited into the account. It also provides that the account may be used only for financial responsibility, corrective action, third party indemnification and administration expenses related to aviation fuel and jet fuel.

Beginning December 31, 2023, an amount calculated by a formula shall be transferred annually from the ELTF to the Airport Development Grant Fund.

The Indiana Chamber opposes the bill because it threatens the solvency of the ELTF, and protection of the ELTF has long been an environmental policy priority of the Chamber. In addition, this bill would allow airports to access money paid into the ELTF while other businesses would not have the same ability. It was mentioned by one legislator that there is too much money in the ELTF, and I recommended that if that’s the case, we should adjust the funding formula to be fair to all contributors.

The bill passed out of the House Environmental Committee by a vote of 10-3.

Resource: Greg Ellis at (317) 264-6881 or gellis@indianachamber.com