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Environment Committee

 

Environment Committee

  • ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
    • Educate and inform membership and others regarding environmental issues.
    • Generate debate and discussion and focus public awareness on area-wide environmental issues.
    • Form coalitions to pursue cooperative approaches to environmental issues of mutual concern.
    • Facilitate communication between local elected officials and state and federal environmental agencies.
    • Provide a vision for area-wide sustgainable development.
    • Serve as a vehicle for the development of sound regional public policy and planning/development guidelines that incorporate environmental protection.
    • Assist in the development of a NIRPC environmental information resource and consultation center to assist local government planning/development.
    • Environmental issues include or have included:
      • Air Quality
      • Lake Michigan Coastal Issues
      • Alternative Fuels
      • Pollution Prevention
      • Beaches
      • Renewable Energy
      • Brownfields
      • Natural Hazard Resiliency
      • Climate Change
      • Stormwater Management
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Urban Forestry
      • Environmental Justice
      • Water Quality
      • Green Infrastructure
      • Watershed Planning & Management
      • Habitat and Natural Area Conservation
      • Wetlands
  • MEMBERSHIP

    NIRPC Appointed Commissioners*

    Commissioners, including chair and co-chair, are appointed annually by the current chair of the Northwestern Regional Planning Commission from among the local elected official members of the Commission. Appointed Commissioners (other than the chair and co-chair) may designate a municipal staff person to fully represent them on the Committee.

    Lake County:

    • Bill Emerson, Lake County Surveyor
    • Bill Carroll, City of Lake Station
    • Randall Niemeyer, Lake County Council
    • Rick Ryfa, Town of Griffith
    • Sharon Szwedo, Town of New Chicago
    • Thomas Black, Town of Highland
    • Jenny Beier, Town of Schnieder
    • Tim Clayton, Town of Winfield
    • Steve Spebar, City of Whiting

    Porter County:

    • Bonnie Hawksworth, Town of Dune Acres
    • CJ Wittmer, Town of Kouts

    La Porte County:

    • Lori Hunt, Town of Westville

    Local Government Representatives (non-Commissioner) *

    Municipal or county employees (as many as interested) of jurisdictions with representation at NIRPC per IC 36-7-7.6 are eligible to participate in the Environment Committee designate a voting representative with environmental or natural resource expertise and or responsibilities to the Environment Committee.

    Stakeholders*

    The Environment Committee includes voting members from regulated NWI industries and utilities, environmental and natural resource non-governmental organizations, and technical experts from regional universities and institutions. This allows for informed, diverse, and balanced discussions and recommendations to the Commission. Voting representation is evaluated based on attendance on a bi-annual basis to avoid undue influence of "one issue, hot topic" voters when controversial issues arise.

    Federal and State Environmental and Natural Resource Agencies

    Federal and State agencies with an active presence in NWI regularly participate in the Environment Committee. In addition to serving as an advisory body for NIRPC's environmental activities and policies, the Environment Committee provides an established venue for exchanging information, giving updates, and receiving input about programs and projects of interest.

    * One vote allotted per organization or jurisdiction
  • QUORUM
    • 3 voting committee members constitute a quorum.
    • A simple majority of the quorum is required to act.
  • MEETING SCHEDULE
    • Generally, and initially, meets on the 1st Thursday of the month approximately 4 times per year.
    • Space is reserved and partners are encouraged to use first Thursdays for workshops or project coordination meetings related to environmental issues.
  • MEETING MINUTES
  • ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY COMMITTEE

    2024 EMPC Meeting Schedule

    2019-2020 EMPC Membership Overview

    Chairman: Bill Emerson, Jr., NIRPC Commissioner Staff Contact: Kathy Luther, Director of Environmental Programs

    Mission Statement: The Environmental Management Policy Committee of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission recognizes the value and interdependence of northwest Indiana’s natural resources and economic strengths and encourages the use of those resources to meet current needs while ensuring that adequate resources are available for future generations.

    Goals:

    • To educate and inform ourselves and others regarding environmental issues;
    • To generate debate and discussion and focus public awareness on area-wide environmental issues;
    • To form coalitions to pursue cooperative approaches to environmental issues of mutual concern;
    • To facilitate communication between local elected officials and state and federal environmental agencies;
    • To provide a vision for area-wide sustainable development;
    • To serve as a vehicle for the development of sound regional public policy and planning/development guidelines that incorporate environmental protection;
    • To assist in the development of a NIRPC environmental information resource and consultation center to assist local government planning/development.

    Adopted April 4, 1995

Environmental Management Policy Committee Meeting Minutes (2012 - 2024)

For information regarding the Environmental Management Policy Committee, please contact Kathy Luther at kluther@nirpc.org or at 219.254.2513

Requests for alternate formats, please contact NIRPC at 219.763.6060.

Environmental Management Policy Committee Meeting Presentations

The Calumet Heritage Area Program and Events Calendar is a one-stop shop for events happening in the Calumet that relate to nature, industry, and culture. To find events of interest to the EMPC, search for key terms like “nature” and “education”. You can also submit events by clicking on the “submit event” button.

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