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SB 258

Indiana SenatePassed

Summary

SB 258, “Nuclear facility permits”, was introduced in the Senate on Jan 8, 2026 by Sen. Eric Koch (R) with 4 co-sponsors. It last saw action on Feb 17, 2026: Public Law 3.


Record

Text

SB 258 has 4 co-sponsors and 2 roll calls.

sb258/enrolled.txt
Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 258
AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning environmental law.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
SECTION 1. IC 13-15-3-2 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 2. (a) A permit
issued under:
(1) this article; (except IC 13-15-9);
(2) IC 13-17-11;
(3) IC 13-18-18; or
(4) IC 13-20-1;
may be issued for any period determined by the department to be
appropriate but not to exceed five (5) years.
(b) Except as provided in federal law, a valid permit that has been
issued under this chapter that concerns an activity of a continuing
nature may be renewed for a period of not more than ten (10) years as
determined by the department. The board shall adopt rules
implementing this subsection.
(c) The commissioner may delegate authority to issue or deny
permits to a designated staff member.
SECTION 2. IC 13-15-9-1 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE UPON
PASSAGE]. Sec. 1. A person may not:
(1) construct or operate a nuclear powered generating facility or
nuclear fuel reprocessing plant; or
(2) increase the capacity of such an existing facility;
without a permit from the department.
SEA 258
2
SECTION 3. IC 13-15-9-2 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE UPON
PASSAGE]. Sec. 2. (a) The board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 and
IC 13-14-9 establishing:
(1) conditions for the issuance of a permit under this chapter; and
(2) requirements for the operation of nuclear facilities.
(b) Rules adopted by the board may relate to:
(1) air pollution from nuclear facilities;
(2) water pollution from nuclear facilities; or
(3) other environmental problems associated with nuclear
facilities.
SECTION 4. IC 13-15-9-3, AS AMENDED BY P.L.133-2012,
SECTION 105, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 3. A person proposing to
construct:
(1) a nuclear powered generating facility; or
(2) a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant;
shall file with the board department an environmental feasibility
report on a form prescribed by the board, concurrently with the filing
of the preliminary safety analysis documents required to be filed with
the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
SECTION 5. IC 13-15-9-4 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE UPON
PASSAGE]. Sec. 4. (a) The commissioner, on behalf of the board, may
conduct a public hearing at a time and place to be determined by the
department on the environmental effects of the proposed operation.
(b) A person affected by the proposed construction may participate
in the hearing to the extent and in the manner that the board prescribes.
SECTION 6. IC 13-15-9-5 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE UPON
PASSAGE]. Sec. 5. (a) The board shall adopt rules and standards under
section 2 of this chapter to protect the citizens of Indiana from the
hazards of radiation.
(b) Each permit required under this chapter according to rules
adopted by the board must specify the maximum allowable level of
radioactive discharge.
(c) Each permit issued must include a requirement for:
(1) appropriate procedures of monitoring any discharge; and
(2) a report of each discharge to the department.
SECTION 7. IC 13-30-2-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.133-2012,
SECTION 158, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 1. A person may not do any of
the following:
(1) Discharge, emit, cause, allow, or threaten to discharge, emit,
SEA 258
3
cause, or allow any contaminant or waste, including any noxious
odor, either alone or in combination with contaminants from other
sources, into:
(A) the environment; or
(B) any publicly owned treatment works;
in any form that causes or would cause pollution that violates or
would violate rules, standards, or discharge or emission
requirements adopted by the board under the environmental
management laws.
(2) Increase the quantity or strength of a discharge of
contaminants into the waters or construct or install a sewer or
sewage treatment facility or a new outlet for contaminants into the
waters of Indiana without prior approval of the department.
(3) Deposit any contaminants upon the land in a place and manner
that creates or would create a pollution hazard that violates or
would violate a rule adopted by the board.
(4) Deposit or cause or allow the deposit of any contaminants or
solid waste upon the land, except through the use of sanitary
landfills, incineration, composting, garbage grinding, or another
method acceptable to the board.
(5) Dump or cause or allow the open dumping of garbage or of
any other solid waste in violation of rules adopted by the board.
(6) Dispose of solid waste in, upon, or within the limits of or
adjacent to a public highway, state park, state nature preserve, or
recreation area or in or immediately adjacent to a lake or stream,
except:
(A) in proper containers provided for sanitary storage of the
solid waste; or
(B) as a part of a sanitary landfill operation or other land
disposal method approved by the department.
(7) Construct, install, operate, conduct, or modify, without prior
approval of the department, any equipment or facility of any type
that may:
(A) cause or contribute to pollution; or
(B) be designed to prevent pollution.
However, the commissioner or the board may approve
experimental uses of any equipment, facility, or pollution control
device that is considered necessary for the further development of
the state of the art of pollution control.
(8) Conduct any salvage operation or open dump by open burning
or burn, cause, or allow the burning of any solid waste in a
manner that violates either:
SEA 258
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(A) the air pollution control laws; or
(B) the rules adopted by the board.
(9) Commence construction of a proposed hazardous waste
facility without having first:
(A) filed an application for; and
(B) received;
a permit from the department.
(10) Commence or engage in the operation of a hazardous waste
facility without having first obtained a permit from the
department.
(11) Deliver any hazardous waste to a hazardous waste facility
that:
(A) is not approved; or
(B) does not hold a permit from the department.
(12) Cause or allow the transportation of a hazardous waste
without a manifest if a manifest is required by law.
(13) Violate any:
(A) condition;
(B) limitation; or
(C) stipulation;
placed upon a certificate of environmental compatibility by the
hazardous waste facility site approval authority or any other
provision of IC 13-22-10.
(14) Apply or allow the application of used oil to any ground
surface, except for purposes of treatment in accordance with a
permit issued by the department under any of the following:
(A) IC 13-15. except IC 13-15-9.
(B) IC 13-17-11.
(C) IC 13-18-18.
(D) IC 13-20-1.
(15) Commence construction of a solid waste incinerator without
first obtaining a permit from the department under IC 13-20-8.
(16) Commence operation of a solid waste incinerator without
first obtaining the approval of the department under IC 13-20-8.
SECTION 8. An emergency is declared for this act.
SEA 258
President of the Senate
President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Governor of the State of Indiana
Date: Time:
SEA 258

Nuclear facility permits. Makes the following changes to the Indiana Code chapter concerning the issuance of permits for nuclear powered generating facilities and nuclear fuel reprocessing plants (facilities) by the department of environmental management (department): (1) Repeals a provision that prohibits a person from constructing or operating, or increasing the capacity of, a facility without a permit from the department. (2) Repeals a provision authorizing the environmental rules board (board) to adopt rules establishing: (A) conditions for the issuance of a permit for; and (B) requirements for the operation of; a facility. (3) Requires a person proposing to construct a facility to file with the department (instead of the board, under current law) an environmental feasibility report concurrently with the filing of documents (instead of the preliminary safety analysis, under current law) required to be filed with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (instead of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, under current law). (4) Repeals a provision authorizing the commissioner of the department to conduct a public hearing on the environmental effects of the proposed operation of a facility. (5) Repeals a provision: (A) requiring the board to adopt rules and standards to protect Indiana citizens from radiation hazards; and (B) setting forth requirements for required permits with respect to radioactive discharge.

Sponsors

Sen. Eric Koch (R) sponsors SB 258, and 4 members have co-sponsored it.

Committees

SB 258 went before 2 committees: Utilities and Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications.

Utilities
Utilities
Referred to · Jan 8, 2026
Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
Referred to · Jan 28, 2026 · 15 Bills

History

SB 258 has taken 20 actions since Jan 8, 2026, the latest on Feb 17, 2026.

ChamberAction
Feb 17, 2026
Senate
Signed by the President of the Senate
Feb 17, 2026
Senate
Signed by the Governor
Feb 17, 2026
Senate
Public Law 3
Feb 12, 2026
House
Signed by the Speaker
Feb 11, 2026
Senate
Signed by the President Pro Tempore

Votes

SB 258 went to 2 roll calls across both chambers, the latest on Feb 9, 2026 at 6428.

ChamberQuestion
Yea
Nay
Feb 9, 2026
House
House - Third reading
64
28
Jan 22, 2026
Senate
Senate - Third reading
36
9

Source: iga.in.gov · legiscan.com