By Tom Davies | Deputy Editor
"We all go to the gas station every day, but we don't necessarily think, you know, where that gas is coming from and the potential harm to the environment.” — Tim Veatch of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Hundreds of old fuel storage tanks are underground across the state — at the same time that millions of dollars available to replace often-leaking tanks is going unclaimed.
We also have a story looking at how a new state program aimed at boosting support for future nuclear reactor projects is planning to go about its work.
Plus, former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has been certified for the November election ballot as the Lincoln Party’s secretary of state candidate, and Gov. Mike Braun has named another new state utility commission member.
An operator lifts a 30-year-old underground storage tank out of the ground in Martinsville, Indiana, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
State pours $21M into removal of aging, leaking tanks of fuel and other hazards
By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — The Hoosier State has so far spent $21 million to help remove or plug up more than 500 outdated or failing underground tanks storing gas, diesel and other hazardous materials through the nation's first proactive reimbursement program for tank closures.
But there are hundreds of old, potentially leaking tanks left statewide.
They're often owned by private companies, like gas stations and trucking fleets, as well as by the state and local governments including schools, cities and counties.
A rendering of a small modular nuclear reactor in the planning stages by British engine maker Rolls Royce. (Rendering courtesy of Rolls Royce)
Indiana officials aim to inspire nuclear development — starting with local-level support
By Jack Forrest
Indiana Michigan Power will soon retire the coal-burning units at its Rockport electric generating plant. The 2,600-megawatt plant is a source of energy, jobs and tax revenue in the southern Indiana community along the Ohio River.
Losing it would be “devastating,” Spencer County Commissioner Jim Seiler said.
I&M, owned by utility giant AEP, wants state regulatory approval for a 1,520-megawatt natural gas-burning facility at the Rockport site. But it’s also evaluating the location for nuclear generation, seeking federal grants to support the approval process for a small modular reactor.
NATIONAL NEWS
One of the grantees affected by new federal rules was Children’s Aid, a 170-year-old organization in New York City that served 1,200 youth each year with its nearly $1 million grant. (Courtesy of Children’s Aid)
Feds have a new teen pregnancy prevention plan: Fertility and ‘reproductive goals’
By Kelcie Moseley-Morris
The Trump administration has a new plan for teenagers learning about pregnancy: Beginning this summer, it will steer millions of dollars toward organizations that focus on anatomy, fertility tracking, hormonal production and “reproductive goals counseling.”
The plan will also emphasize abstinence from sex and the importance of marriage.
In doing so, it will pivot away from programs that serve populations in areas with the greatest need and that use particular evidence-based programming to reduce teen pregnancies — and some say the new language puts a greater focus on planning for pregnancy rather than preventing it.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Six Indiana cities close on low-interest state loans for housing projects | Mackenzi Klemann
Indiana woman sentenced to 27 months in prison for threatening Rep. Nancy Mace | South Carolina Daily Gazette
Thanks for reading Fast Break. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.