Legislative Updates by Rep. Maureen Mooney for February, 2022

Merrimack NH

12 February, 2022

9:37 AM

Description

Greetings! Here are some highlights of interest to Merrimack from the State House: - HB 478 (An Act relative to treatment of PFAS contaminants in the drinking water of the Merrimack Village Water District): One year ago, we were preparing for the House Hearing on HB 478 requiring Saint Gobain Performance Plastics to pay for filtration, operating and maintenance costs on wells 4 and 5 beyond the year 2025. HB 478 has now passed through the full House and we are awaiting the Senate Hearing. The Senate Hearing has not been scheduled yet. I would respectfully ask that you contact members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to SUPPORT this bill (Senators Avard, Giuda, Gray, Watters and Perkins Kwoka, as well as Committee Assistant Frenette). - HB 1547 (An Act setting maximum contaminant levels for perfluorochemicals in the soil): HB 1547 received an Ought to Pass with Amendment recommendation from its House Committee. We hope this bill as amended passes through the full House next week and goes on to the Senate. The bill idea came from a brainstorming meeting last summer of Merrimack community activists and legislators. The bill amendment (which replaces the entire bill) came from exceptional collaboration among community activists, legislators and the NH Department of Environmental Services. The bill as amended will: A.) allow the commissioner of NH DES to initiate rules for soil remediation standards for perfluorochemicals by November 1, 2023 because the United States Geological Survey ("USGS") is performing a study in New Hampshire of its soil due by the fall of 2022; B.) amend the Groundwater Protection Act rulemaking section (RSA 485-C:4, VIII) to add soil, and that a "person" liable for such contamination provide safe alternate water to an impacted well owner. (NOTE: The term "person" includes companies and public or private corporations per RSA 485-C:2, XI). - Student Interest in Merrimack Environmental Bills: Environmental bills introduced this term have gained the attention of both high school and college students throughout New Hampshire. I have been contacted by students from around the state wanting to hear more about Merrimack bills for clean water and soil. One group, the Seacoast Students for Sustainability (a/k/a "SS4S") consists of statewide high school students/teenagers concerned with preserving the environment. I had a meeting with the group's Legislative Director who floored me with her knowledge of the legislative process and relevant questions related to HB 1547. She is an early graduate of VLACS ("Virtual Learning Academy Charter School"). Within hours of our meeting, she forwarded me two letters of support for HB 1547 with amendment. I particularly like her paragraph that read: "The collaboration between the town of Merrimack, New Hampshire legislators, and the Department of Environmental Services highlights how all parties impacted were considered in the crafting of this bill. It is holistic, it is evidence-based, and it can help those who have been harmed." - Full House Session: The New Hampshire House has full sessions on February 16 and 17, 2022 including the Governor's State of the State Address. To view the full House Calendar for the sessions, click here. - Community Happenings: Local Elections are fast approaching on April 12, 2022. Here are important dates to know: - The filing period to run for town offices is February 23, 2022-March 4, 2022. Town offices up for election are here. - The filing period to run for school district offices is February 23, 2022-March 4, 2022. School district offices up for election are here. Rep. Maureen Mooney is in her fourth term as a NH State Representative serving Merrimack. Her website is: www.votemooney.com and Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/maureenmooneynh.