Sec. 4. (a) The task force shall research and develop recommendations on the following:
(1) Strategies to mitigate the costs incurred by builders to comply with the state regulation of wetland activity under IC 13-18-22 while maintaining the integrity of those environmental safeguards.
(2) The flood reduction benefits of isolated wetlands, including the use of isolated wetlands to aid in quantifying flood risk mitigation.
(3) The role of isolated wetlands in storing carbon dioxide and how to strengthen the carbon markets in Indiana.
(4) Strategies to incentivize the avoidance of isolated wetland impact during development.
(5) Strategies to incentivize the preservation of existing isolated wetlands.
(6) Improvements to the isolated wetland permitting process under IC 13-18-22.
(b) The task force shall also do the following:
(1) Review existing state isolated wetland classifications and recommend new isolated wetland classifications and nomenclature that are in alignment with those used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
(2) Review the current mitigation ratios set forth in IC 13-18-22-6 and provide recommendations to:
(A) improve the methodology used in applying those mitigation ratios; and
(B) possibly better align those mitigation ratios with the mitigation ratio determination methods used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
(3) Review the current "in lieu of" compensatory mitigation program and make recommendations on how to reduce the costs and improve the transparency of that program.
(4) Study and make recommendations concerning any other wetland related issues that the task force determines should be addressed by the general assembly.
As added by P.L.160-2021, SEC.15.