04/10/03 1225s

06/24/03 2151cofc

2003 SESSION

03-0475

06/10

SENATE BILL 70

COMMITTEE: Environment

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a commission to study certain recommendations of the New Hampshire estuaries project management plan and other issues related to the Great Bay estuary.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

04/10/03 1225s

06/24/03 2151cofc

03-0475

06/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

236:1 Commission Established.

I. There is established a commission to study:

(a) The feasibility of implementing a recommendation of the estuaries project management plan that the discharge from area wastewater treatment plants be combined for discharge in the Atlantic Ocean.

(b) Ways to aid in achieving restoration of the estuary habitat in a manner that is compatible with the National Estuary Restoration Act of 2000.

(c) Creation of a watershed district in the Great Bay estuary area and the rivers that flow into it.

(d) Funding strategies for creating and maintaining effective partnerships between the federal government, the state government, local community governments and the private sector to fund and assist in the Great Bay estuary habitat restoration project.

(e) The need for joint public wastewater facilities for collection and discharge of treated wastewater and ways to achieve the construction, maintenance and management of these facilities.

II. Participation in this commission shall be voluntary.

236:2 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(b) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

(c) One member, appointed by the governor.

(d) One member from each participating town or city along the Great Bay estuary, river basin, and the estuarine watersheds, appointed by the governing body of the town or city.

(e) One member of the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, appointed by the commission.

(f) One member of the Rockingham Regional Planning Commission, appointed by the commission.

(g) One Strafford County commissioner, appointed by the county commission.

(h) One Rockingham County commissioner, appointed by the county commission.

(i) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.

(j) The reserve manager of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

(k) The director of the office of state planning, or designee.

II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

236:3 Duties. The commission shall study:

I. The feasibility of implementing a recommendation of the estuaries project management plan that the discharge from area wastewater treatment plants be combined for discharge in the Atlantic Ocean.

II. Ways to aid in achieving restoration of the estuary habitat in a manner that is compatible with the National Estuary Restoration Act of 2000.

III. Creation of a watershed district in the Great Bay estuary area and the rivers that flow into it.

IV. Funding strategies for creating and maintaining effective partnerships between the federal government, the state government, local community governments, and the private sector to fund and assist in the Great Bay estuary habitat restoration project.

V. The need for joint public wastewater facilities for collection and discharge of treated wastewater and ways to achieve the construction, maintenance, and management of these facilities.

VI. The merits of forming a watershed district among area towns to provide for the collection, conveyance, and disposal of treated wastewater into the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean and for other water-related purposes and an appropriate name for any districts recommended.

VII. Funding strategies that a watershed district might use in conjunction with the state and federal governments for the benefit of the Great Bay estuary and its environment.

236:4 Notice of First Meeting; Chairperson; Quorum. The senate member shall create a list of commission members and shall call the first meeting of the commission. The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this act. Eight members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

236:5 Report. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2003.

236:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

(Approved: July 7, 2003)

(Effective Date: July 7, 2003)