INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As Indiana’s legislative session nears its end, environmental advocates are taking stock of the impact new policies may have on the state’s air, land, and water. With Earth Month underway, the focus is shifting to how state lawmakers’ decisions will affect Hoosiers and the environment in the years to come.

Sam Carpenter, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, joined News 8’s Wednesday Midday newscast for a conversation, and to weigh in on the legislature’s performance.

An executive order from Gov. Mike Braun aims to recover rare earth elements from coal, a move Braun said was driven by a desire to reduce dependence on China for these critical materials used in smartphones, electric vehicles, and other technologies.