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Emergency Response

The Office of Land Quality’s (OLQ) Emergency Response program responds to incidents involving spills to soil or waters of the state. Responders in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) four regional offices work closely with local, federal, and other state responders to protect Indiana’s environmental resources. For a better understanding of emergency response terminology, consult the Emergency Response Definitions page.

Report Environmental Emergencies

To report an environmental emergency, call IDEM’s 24-Hour Emergency Spill Line toll free at (888) 233-7745 or (317) 233-7745. OLQ’s emergency responders are available any time to receive spill reports and provide response assistance. The Emergency Response Quick Reference Sheet [PDF] provides additional contact numbers and techniques for evaluating environmental threats.

Report Spills

Owners/operators of facilities and modes of transportation are required to report all spills, including the total amount spilled, not the amount unrecovered. All spills require a spill response, regardless of reportability. Timely reporting is more important than immediately determining fault or responsibility. When in doubt, call the 24-Hour Emergency Spill Line. It is better to find out that a spill is not reportable than to be in violation of the Indiana Spill Rule (327 Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) 2-6.1 [PDF]). The secondary containment of hazardous materials is addressed in Rule 10 of Indiana’s Water Quality Standards (327 IAC 2-10). Contact IDEM’s Office of Records Management for data regarding spills.

Spills Data

The files below list all spills that have been reported to IDEM.

Selecting a Spill Contractor

Spill containment and cleanup often require the expertise and resources of a spill contractor. To expedite spill response efforts IDEM provides suggestions on selecting a qualified spill contractor and a map depicting locations of spill contractors serving Indiana.

Report Environmental Complaints

IDEM’s complaint coordinator is the agency’s central point of contact for complaints about polluting activities. IDEM's policy is to investigate a complaint within 30 days of receipt, and to resolve each complaint within 90 days. The agency routinely works with other local, state, and federal agencies to address environmental concerns. Consult IDEM’s complaint website for information on how to file a complaint.

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