Indiana seeks input on spending $41M Volkswagen settlement

State officials are debating how to spend Indiana's nearly $41 million share of a Volkswagen court settlement.

The German carmaker was caught in 2015 using illegal software for diesel motors that enabled cheating on U.S. emissions tests. Now the company is paying a total expected to exceed $20 billion in fines and civil settlements.

Indiana's share is supposed to go toward offsetting the effects of diesel emissions across the state. But what specific projects should be undertaken and where hasn't been decided.

Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday announced the creation of an 11-member committee that will help determine how to spend the money.

Indiana's Department of Environmental Management has also developed some basic parameters for spending the money. The agency plans to hold hearings where the public can weigh in.

The following were named to the committee:

— Beverly Gard, former Indiana state senator;

— Kay Nelson, director of environmental affairs, Northwest Indiana Forum;

— Bill Beranek, president, Indiana Environmental Institute;

— Reggie Jones, central Indiana business owner and philanthropist;

— Brent Dickson, retired Indiana Supreme Court Justice; adjunct at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law;

— Joe McGuinness, commissioner, Indiana Department of Transportation;

— Tristan Vance, director, Indiana Office of Energy Development;

— Danielle McGrath, vice president, Indiana Economic Development Corp.;

— Melissa Rekeweg, interim director, Indiana State Department of Agriculture;

— Bruno Pigott, commissioner, Indiana Department of Environmental Management;

— Jody Peacock, vice president, Ports of Indiana.