In the decade from 1990 to 2000, Indiana's population grew by almost 10 percent, with the fastest growing areas located not in the cities, but in agricultural areas. Although 38th in the nation in land area, Indiana ranks second in prime farmland, so the impact of increased development on farmland and water resources is a major concern. With these issues as a backdrop, the seeds of Indiana's NEMO effort were planted in June of 1997, when the CT NEMO Team traveled to Traverse City, Michigan to conduct a workshop for the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Land Use Team. The following spring, a NEMO workshop was hosted by Indiana-Illinois Sea Grant, and after a period of program development, Planning with POWER began in 2000. The “POWER” in the program name stands for “Protecting Our Water and Environmental Resources.” Initial funding for the program came from an Indiana Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant, with additional support from the NOAA Coastal Services Center. Ongoing support is provided by the two lead agencies, the Indiana-Illinois Sea Grant College Program and the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.

The POWER Program is a collaboration between two successful statewide educational and technical assistance efforts: the Purdue Extension Land Use Team and the multi-agency Indiana Conservation Partnership. In November of 2000, with assistance from the Network Hub, POWER held a two-day training workshop for program partners to kick off the effort. Team members developed and unveiled a 25-minute educational presentation targeted at county commissioners, county planning and zoning officials and local officials. The presentation has been delivered in 40 counties, to audiences representing over 60 professional groups and agencies in Indiana. Hendricks, Elkhart, Howard, Dearborn and Putnam Counties, in particular, have been the focus of much activity. In addition, presentations have been given at a number of statewide conferences and workshops. The program's publications now number six, a website has been developed, and POWER displays have been exhibited at over 40 events around the state.

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