INDIANAPOLIS — More than 200 Indianapolis residents gathered Monday night to share concerns about a Boone County development project and its potential impact on the Eagle Creek Reservoir.
The large group of central Indiana residents packed the North Wayne Elementary School cafeteria to learn more about the Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace, or LEAP Innovation District, and how it could affect Eagle Creek.
"I'm quite involved in the community and to find out about it at the last minute without opportunity for public comment is very... very concerning,” said Cathy Cabello, a Pike Township resident.
Cabello was referring to plans released by Citizens Energy Group to pump water from Eagle Creek Reservoir to Lebanon for the LEAP District, as well as Lebanon Utilities’ plans to pump wastewater back into the reservoir from the industrial site.
Several state and Indianapolis city officials attended Monday’s meeting. Since Indianapolis owns Eagle Creek Park, one City-County Council member said he hopes the city will play a greater role in the process.
“The concern again is the speed at which this is happening and the position of the city is not one that I would agree with,” said Indianapolis City-County Councilor Dan Boots, a Democrat representing District 3. “I do think the city has a bigger role than the one it's willing to take right now. By the city, I mean the mayor’s office.”
Citizens has said it is open to a water study, but because the city owns the park, that decision would be up to Indianapolis. Boots, who chairs the council’s Parks and Recreation Committee, said he is not yet ready to commit to that.
“Who is going to fund those answers? Who is going to do legal research? Who is going to pay for the extensive water studies? Those are all questions being asked and we are going to try and get some answers,” Boots said.
As for the project’s future, community conversation organizers are urging residents to speak up.
“When we have folks this concerned about this important of an issue and they come together, it can be very, very powerful and that is what we are expecting,” said state Rep. Renee Pack, D-Indianapolis.
The Indiana Finance Authority approves funding for these projects. The Eagle Creek Park Advisory Committee is urging concerned residents to contact the IFA by calling 317-232-6566 or emailing ahenning@ifa.in.gov
Citizens and Lebanon Utilities have agreed to hold a public meeting where residents can ask questions, though a date has not yet been set.
