JASPER – The Coalition Against the Mid-States Corridor, formed in 2019 by a group of concerned Dubois County residents opposed to the proposed new terrain highway, received the Frontline Organizer of the Year Award from the Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) at the 2022 Greening the Statehouse event in Westfield, Ind.
Member Mark Nowotarski accepted the award on behalf of the Coalition. [Eleven other entities received awards as well].
The grassroots group gained momentum with more residents eager to help fight against this new terrain highway when the Regional Development Authority and INDOT held public informational meetings. Since 2020, the group of citizens has collected over 8,000 signatures petitioning against the Mid-States Corridor.
Their first rally was held around the Dubois County Courthouse in 2020. A second rally, four town hall meetings, workshops for helping residents with written comments, letters to the editor, and media interviews followed. The Coalition has had meetings with the project managers from INDOT, IDEM, and the Federal Highway Administration Indiana Division to speak on behalf of preserving land for purposes other than road building.
“The Coalition is a formidable grassroots group on the frontlines, working on many levels to raise awareness, engage citizens, and build alliances to fight an unneeded, environmentally-destructive new terrain highway proposed through some of Indiana’s best woodlands, farmland, and natural areas,” said Tim Maloney, senior policy director for HEC. “Matched against well-funded, influential project supporters, the Coalition has more than held its own, slowing down a controversial project that seemed headed for easy approval.”
“We continue to pressure the Governor, local government officials, other political leaders, INDOT, the FHWA, and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation,” said Coalition member Mark Nowotarski. “Our fight is not over, and we appreciate all the support HEC has given us during this time.”
The HEC Annual Awards is part of Greening the Statehouse (GTS), Indiana’s largest annual gathering of environmental-minded Hoosiers, now in its fifteenth year. GTS 2022 featured panel discussions on progress toward cleaner waterways in Indiana, and the outlook for pro-environmental legislation in the 2022 election and the 2023 state legislative session.
About Hoosier Environmental Council:
Founded 39 years ago, the Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) is Indiana’s largest statewide environmental policy organization. HEC aims to advance solutions that are good for the economy and good for the environment. More at hecweb.org, @hec_ed [Twitter] or facebook.com/hecweb [Facebook].
