A new IGWS Advisory Committee is meeting quarterly in Bloomington and virtually. The makeup and duties of this committee were defined in SB 278/Public Law 108, which went into effect in July. Previously, state law allowed the president of Indiana University to appoint an IGWS advisory council; this bill codified its establishment, as well as specified representation from specific agencies and who is to appoint those people.

At the Oct. 12 committee meeting at the IGWS, presentations were given about ongoing and needed geological mapping, energy, and water research. The committee also toured the current core, chip, and lithstrip collection facility and visited the interim collection facility spot for the foreseeable future.

IGWS Advisory Committee members are:

• IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs: Dr. Joe Shaw, associate professor and associate dean for research

• IU Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dr. David Polly, professor and department chair

• IU Office of the Vice Provost for Research: Dr. Brea Perry, interim associate vice president for research and interim vice provost for research

• Indiana House Utilities: Rep. Ed Soliday, chair, Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunication Committee, District 4

• Indiana Senate Utilities: Sen. Eric Koch, chair, Utilities Committee, District 44

• Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Ryan Mueller, deputy director of regulatory services

• Indiana Department of Environmental Management: Andrew Pappas, technical environmental manager

• Indiana Economic Development Corporation: Ben Smith, vice president of energy innovation and solutions

• Indiana Finance Authority: Jim McGoff, COO and director of environmental programs

• Geologist: Robert Duncan, principal geologist, Atlas Technical Consultants

• Geologist: William Karban, senior geologist, EnviroSolutions Inc.