The true cost of LEAP & the toll it will take on our future

By BRIAN DAGGY & JIM LOVE
Guest Columnists

The LEAP project is quickly shaping up to be one of the most expensive projects our state has ever seen – and yet, citizens are still being kept in the dark about the true cost and impact.

As members of the Boone County Preservation Group, we strongly oppose this project because it threatens to deplete our precious farmland, drains our already limited water resources, and could raise the cost of living for all of us. But what’s most frustrating is that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is running this project without any real transparency or accountability – especially considering it’s funded by significant tax dollars. That hasn’t changed in the years since news of this project first was leaked by farmers who had been approached to sell their land.

Recent reports from the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism and the Indiana Capital Chronicle have uncovered just how much money is being poured into LEAP.

Nearly $1 billion has already been spent on this project, with more than $427 million used to buy up 6,000 acres of prime farmland around Lebanon – land that has been carefully cultivated by farmers for generations to feed our state and country. We believe that our farmland should be preserved for future generations, not sacrificed for corporate interests.

It gets worse.

Almost $170 million has been set aside to pay for water services for this district. The industries the state hopes to attract to the area require huge amounts of water. This is at a time when Indiana’s water supply is already stretched thin. We’ve heard experts warning that our water is in danger, yet the state is rushing forward with this plan without clear proof that it can handle the needs of the businesses and over 50,000 workers that the project claims it will support – most of which have not yet been identified.

Electricity is another resource in jeopardy. LEAP hopes to attract large data centers, and if they become reality, there will need to be vast improvements made to provide the large amounts of power these centers need. Citizens Action Coalition recently said, “If these data centers end up using less electricity than planned, or close early, other electric ratepayers (such as you) could be on the hook.”

At a time when the state is considering cutting Medicaid costs and other spending, these data centers could also cost valuable state revenue. Why? Because the Indiana General Assembly approved a sales tax exemption for data centers in 2019. Experts say a typical data center will spend about $500 million each year on its electric bill, meaning in Indiana they could receive more than $1.7 billion in state sales tax subsidies over 50 years, or $34 million per year. The $34 million multiplied by the eight currently planned data centers is $272 million per year.

Even by government standards, we’re starting to talk real money here!

These factors are all concerning, but the most troubling is the secrecy continuing to surround the LEAP project. The IEDC operates under a quasi-private setup, which means it can hide the financial details from the public. A large portion of the money is being spent to purchase farmland at inflated prices. This turns the IEDC into a large developer with a seemingly unlimited budget and no regard for return on investment.

At the same time, the existing farms within the LEAP district and throughout central Indiana are experiencing land values that make it impossible to grow or even sustain current operations. The far-reaching effect of state-sponsored destruction of agriculture will have deep effects within communities. Locally operated farms spend money locally on both goods and services. One specific case involves a young family that had a verbal agreement to purchase a farm they had been operating. By the time the paperwork was finished, the seller increased the price five times the original price – making the land unaffordable to farm. If a family was asked to make a priority list, we can only assume food would rank higher than semiconductor chips, batteries, data centers, or solar panels.

At what point will we learn from mistakes of the past and protect our future?

In addition to the loss of farmland, there is the looming issue of the environmental cost. Boone County has been home to fertile, productive land for generations – land that will be irreversibly altered by this development. The loss of our farmland means the loss of our agricultural heritage, and once this land is developed, it’s gone forever. As this project bulldozes through our natural resources, it also undermines the long-term sustainability of our region.

And what are we left with in return? A vast, taxpayer-funded district filled with uncertain promises and questionable financials. Eli Lilly & Co. is still the only confirmed tenant, with a signed deal, while the rest of the businesses that are supposed to fill this district remain unknown or uncommitted. The IEDC’s refusal to disclose its full budget and expenses only adds to the growing uncertainty. How can we be expected to trust that this project will benefit our community when we have no insight into the true costs or who will ultimately benefit from this land grab?

The people of Boone County and the entire state deserve better. We deserve transparency, accountability, and a seat at the table when decisions about our future are being made. We deserve development that respects our land, our water, our electricity capacity and our communities, not one that devastates them. It is time for the IEDC to be held accountable, for local citizens to have a real say in the project’s direction, and for the voices of those most affected by the LEAP project to be heard.

As we move forward, we will continue to fight for the preservation of our farmland, our water, and our future. We urge our fellow Hoosiers to join us in demanding greater transparency and accountability from the IEDC, and to stand with us in protecting what makes Indiana special.

Brian Daggy and Jim Love are members of the Boone County Preservation Group, an organization formed in opposition to the LEAP project. The group’s mission is to create a unified community voice focused on preserving local farmland and natural resources, while supporting responsible land development. You can follow the Boone County Preservation Group on Facebook or find out more on their website.