Washington, DC – Representative Jim Baird (R-IN) applauds the recent announcements from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on awarding grants to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for the improvement of air and water quality designations across the state, including a $6.3 million grant to protect Indiana’s watersheds and an upgrade in air quality designation for Morgan County.

“Farmers know better than anyone the importance of protecting and conserving our environment. This grant will help agricultural producers protect valuable watersheds and natural resources across the state,” said Rep. Jim Baird. “Morgan County, with help from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Environmental Protection Agency, has achieved higher air quality for its citizens. I’m confident the strategy they have in place will lead to years of cleaner air and healthier lives for the communities in Morgan County.”

The $6.3 million in grant funds will help Hoosier farmers and IDEM to protect crucial watersheds across the state like the Big Pine Creek Watershed in Benton County, the Deer Creek-Sugar Creek in Carroll County, and the Region of the Great Bend of the Wabash River in Tippecanoe County. These funds will be used to promote and invest in improved conservation practices that allow our farmers to increase sustainability efforts, and to keep important agricultural inputs in the field, where they belong.

In addition, the EPA and the IDEM announced the improvement of air quality in Morgan County regarding the air concentrations of sulfur dioxide. The community meets the 2010 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide and has a plan in place to maintain higher air quality.

Read the EPA’s press release on air quality in Morgan County here.

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