Sec. 0.5. (a) Notwithstanding subsection (b), this chapter does not authorize the creation of a watershed development commission if the area in which the watershed development commission could exercise the powers conferred by this article would include any part of the area in which a river basin commission established under:

(1) IC 14-30-2;

(2) IC 14-30-3; or

(3) IC 14-30-4;

is authorized to exercise its powers.

     (b) This section does not prohibit:

(1) the transformation of the Maumee River basin commission into a watershed development commission under IC 14-30-2-25;

(2) the transformation of the St. Joseph River basin commission into a watershed development commission under 14-30-3-33; or

(3) the transformation of the upper Wabash River basin commission into a watershed development commission under IC 14-30-4-20;

on the grounds that the watershed development commission resulting from the transformation would be authorized to exercise its powers in all or any part of the area in which the transformed river basin commission was authorized to exercise its powers before the transformation.

As added by P.L.251-2023, SEC.13.