NH LAKES' 2012 Advocay Program Agenda

Fall 2011 - We are gearing up for another busy and potentially unpredictable legislative session. NH LAKES has been meeting with agency officials and policy advocates from other New Hampshire environmental non-profit organizations discussing what issues will likely arise during the 2012 session and what strategies may become necessary to ensure that our lakes continue to be protected for us today and for future generations. In addition, we asked you, our members and our friends, to tell us what lake protection and management issues are important to you and your lake. Based on these discussions and your input, NH LAKES’ advocacy program agenda for the coming year will address many issues.

Shoreland Protection
During the 2011 session, the Legislature amended the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act (RSA 482-A). The major changes included changing the name of the Act to the ‘Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act’ and revising the minimum standards relative to impervious surface limitations and vegetated buffers. The amendments also included establishing a new permitting process within the Act that allows shoreland property owners to file a permit by notification for projects within the 250-foot shoreland zone “that have no impact on water quality,” and meet the specified notice, size, and purpose requirements. (For the most up-to-date summary of the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act Standards, visit www.nhlakes.org/SWQPA_standards.pdf.)

We know that some communities and environmental groups feel that the amended Act has been substantially weakened, but NH LAKES, like the NH Department of Environmental Services and many other conservation groups, felt that compromise was necessary to prevent the loss of the entire Shoreland Program. Please note that House Bill 470, which seeks to repeal the entire Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act, has been retained from the 2011 session. While we do not expect this bill to pass during the 2012 legislative session, we need to keep our eye on it. And, we would like to hear from community groups that are planning on revising their local planning regulations and zoning ordinances to reestablish some of the provisions of the Act in their municipalities.

In addition, we are pleased to report that June Fichter, new NH LAKES Board Member and Executive Director of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association, is a member of the Shoreland Advisory Committee. The primary focus of this committee is to address residential shorefront property owner input and perspective relating to shoreland development regulated under RSA 428-A. June will keep us informed about property owner input relative to the recent changes to the Act.

Septic Systems
Also during the 2011 legislative session, NH LAKES proposed a bill that would have established a legislative commission to study septic systems in New Hampshire, particularly relative to the availability and use of new septic system technologies.

While the NH House of Representatives expressed interest in the intent of this study committee, they decided that the formation of new study committee was unnecessary and voted the bill ‘inexpedient to legislate.’ The House recommended that the NH Department of Environmental Services establish a subcommittee within the existing Lakes Management Advisory Committee (LMAC) to address the study of septic systems. (The LMAC is a committee set up by the Legislature which includes representatives from state agencies, municipalities, the conservation community, the fishing community, academia, and the marine, tourism, and real estate business sectors, which has the responsibility of advising the NH Department of Environmental Services in carrying out the purposes of the Lakes Management and Protection Program.)

We are pleased to report that a NH LAKES board member is currently being appointed to the LMAC and it is through this representation that we will pursue the establishment of a LMAC septic system study subcommittee.

State Budget and Revenue Sources
The State of New Hampshire may go through another round of budget cuts in 2012. This is concerning since many state agencies and programs, including lake and river monitoring and management programs within the NH Department of Environmental Services and the Marine Patrol Bureau of the Department of Safety, experienced significant budget cuts during the 2011 session.

During the 2012 legislative session, we will stay active in the Legislature working to prevent lake and river monitoring and protection programs and the marine patrol from being further weakened. We will also help ensure that existing funding sources for exotic species prevention and control are not reduced.

Other Issues of Concern
In addition to having an active presence in the legislature during the 2012 session relative to acting on bills that were retained from the 2011 session and tracking and commenting on new bills that are introduced, NH LAKES will be researching several policy-related issues and may introduce legislation and/or amendments to existing bills as opportunities arise.

Currently, the NH LAKES Policy and Science and Research committees are considering researching issues relative to the effectiveness of the lead-sinker ban at protecting loon health, more environmentally-sensitive ways of managing stormwater runoff relative to the increasing frequency and severity of flooding events, and also new ways of discouraging the transportation of exotic aquatic plants.

Contact us with your issues and concerns!
We are pleased that Tom O’Brien will be joining the staff of NH LAKES at the end of November. Tom will serve as NH LAKES President and Policy Advocate. He comes to us with an accomplished advocacy background and a love of preserving and enjoying New England's mountains and waters. Tom can be contacted via email at tobrien@nhlakes.org.