EPA Proposes Approval of Indiana's Coal Combustion Residuals Program During Deputy Administrator Fotouhi's Two-Day Visit
INDIANAPOLIS – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi joined Indiana Governor Mike Braun, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Commissioner Clint Woods at the Statehouse on Tuesday, September 15 to announce EPA’s proposed approval of Indiana's coal combustion residuals (CCR) permit program. If finalized, Indiana, rather than the federal government, will issue permits for CCR disposal in landfills and surface impoundments. Indiana is the 10th state the Trump EPA has set on a path to assume this authority, advancing cooperative federalism while maintaining federal environmental protections.
“Indiana is a manufacturing powerhouse with the potential for even greater investment. We should be actively trying to advance this, while also ensuring we maintain all statutory obligations and strong environmental protections,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Fotouhi. “After two days I saw that Indiana is a prime example of what happens when we get federal government out of the way and let American industry invest, innovate, and create. Hoosiers know what is best for their state and this EPA is here to support them.”
The announcement was part of a two-day visit highlighting the Trump EPA’s work to strengthen Indiana’s economy, unleash American energy, and reshore manufacturing. While at the Statehouse, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi also met with Governor Braun, members of Attorney General Rokita’s team, and IDEM leadership to discuss how EPA can support Indiana's environmental priorities.
On Monday, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi joined the Northwest Indiana Forum, Attorney General Rokita, and nearly a dozen regional stakeholders for a roundtable on economic development and investment. He noted that 19 months into the Trump EPA, the agency has shifted toward commonsense rulemaking that helps restore American manufacturing, advance permitting reform, and cut red tape while protecting human health and the environment.
More than 540,000 Hoosiers work in advanced manufacturing, and Indiana leads the nation in steel production. Following the roundtable, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi toured the Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor complex, one of North America’s largest integrated steelmaking facilities. The facility employs nearly 4,000 people and produces approximately 5 million net tons of raw steel annually. American steel production is essential to supporting the nation’s infrastructure, economy, and national security, including critical defense applications.
Deputy Administrator Fotouhi then toured the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern and the USS Lead Superfund Site in East Chicago, highlighting EPA’s work to address legacy contamination while supporting revitalization and productive reuses. In January 2026, EPA and its partners announced a more than $200 million agreement to remove more than 240,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment across 100 acres in Northwest Indiana. Together, the sites demonstrate how environmental cleanup can help return historic industrial areas to productive use and support stronger communities and local economies.
Deputy Administrator Fotouhi concluded his trip with a tour of the Rolls-Royce manufacturing facility in Indianapolis, which recently announced a $1 billion investment in its Indiana operations. The facility employs approximately 3,500 Hoosiers, including many veterans, and supports the production and testing of engines used in military aircraft including the B-52, C-130J, V-22 Osprey, and MQ-25A.
From steel and aerospace manufacturing to environmental cleanup and state-led permitting, Deputy Administrator Fotouhi’s visit highlighted the Trump EPA’s commitment to working with Indiana to support economic growth, strengthen American manufacturing, and protect the environment.