The Forest Society is supporting several bills in the 2022 Legislative session. Here is an update on recent action on several of those bills:

• House Bill 1005 would create a New Hampshire low-grade timber and wood emerging market commission. The Forest Society testified in support of the bill before both bodies. The NH House of Representatives passed the bill on February 16 and the NH Senate approved it on April 14. It will next go to the Governor for his decision. We encourage readers to email the Governor and ask him to also support HB 1005. 
• House Bill 1188 wood establish a commission to study OHRV use in New Hampshire. The Forest Society testified in support during its hearings in both legislative bodies. The NH House approved it on March 16 and the full Senate approved it on April 28.  The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk. We would encourage readers to email the Governor and ask him to support HB 1188. 
• House Bill 1049 would establish a committee to study the siting criteria for new solid waste landfills. The House of Representatives approved it on February 16. The Forest Society testified in support of the bill during the hearing before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. On April 26, SENR Committee recommended by a vote of 3-2 the bill is Inexpedient to Legislate. The full Senate will consider the bill during the May 5 Senate session.
• House Bill 1454 proposes to set in statute a formula for determining the distance for which a new landfill shall be located from a perennial river, lake, or coastal water. The Forest Society supported this bill and testified in support of it during the bill’s hearing in the NH House of Representatives. The N.H. House of Representatives passed the bill on March 16 but the outlook for its passage in the N.H. Senate is very uncertain; the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has recommended the full Senate vote the bill as Inexpedient to Legislate meaning a majority of that committee believe the full Senate should kill the bill. The Senate originally planned to vote on the bill on April 21 but has now rescheduled that vote for its May 5 session. We would again urge readers to email their Senator and ask them to support HB 1454. 
• Senate Bill 379 establishes a new solid waste management fund and grant program for New Hampshire. The Senate passed it on March 31 and the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Environment and Agriculture Committee have also approved it. The full House of Representatives will consider SB 379 during its voting session on May 4 and May 5.  We expect that they will approve the legislation.