HB 1686 Seeks to Repeal LCHIP

Tell Your State Rep to Say No

Matt Leahy | February 2, 2016

Tags:: LCHIP

Although we sometimes take for granted that everyone sees the value in protecting our state’s unique landscapes and natural areas, several bills pending before the New Hampshire Legislature will shake that assumption. Consider, for example, HB 1686, which takes aim at the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) by proposing its repeal.

The creation of LCHIP, and its role in safeguarding some of the special places in our state, reflects the fact that people do recognize how the conservation of important ecological resources contributes to the quality of life here. Fortunately, members on the House Finance Committee Division 1 just voted 9-0 to reject HB 1686. In legislative terms, they voted it “Inexpedient to Legislate” but we will say this subcommittee voted unanimously to kill the bill. Next up is a vote before the full Finance Committee and then on to a vote of the entire N.H. House of Representatives.

We (and by “we” I mean everyone who cares about the values behind LCHIP’s mission) therefore still have work to do to ensure this bill never becomes law. After all, a successful repeal effort would speak loudly about New Hampshire’s commitment to protecting our state’s beauty and rich culture. So, while HB 1686 is openly hostile to LCHIP, it also serves as a reminder for the conservation community that we have to continually advocate those programs that are central to our work.

What can you do? Just a short and quick note to your community’s legislator or to members of the House Finance Committee thanking them for their past support of LCHIP and encouraging them to vote against HB 1686 will go a long way. For information about other issues the Forest Society is working on, please visit our advocacy page.

News

Press Release: LCHIP Awards 3 Grants to Forest Society

December 14, 2022

The Forest Society has received three grant awards totaling $307,500 to support land conservation projects in Canterbury, Concord, and Middleton.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NH FORESTS AWARDED THREE LCHIP GRANTS

December 4, 2019

CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 4, 2019)--The Board of Directors of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) has announced $3.5 million dollars in matching grants awarded to thirty-three projects across the state, including the Society for the Protection of NH Forests’ (Forest Society) Ammonoosuc River Project in Bethlehem, Tuckaway Farm in Lee, and Morrill Dairy Farm in Boscawen.

The Forest Society is a private, non-profit land trust and forestry organization established in 1901. The organization has received a $300,000 grant for its Ammonoosuc River Project, which will conserve an exceptional 1.8-mile stretch of the Ammonoosuc River in Bethlehem. The Ammonoosuc is one of the largest rivers in the northern White Mountains, originating in the Lakes of the Clouds on Mt. Washington’s western slope and flowing westward to the Connecticut River in Woodsville. With scenic vistas and key coldwater fisheries in its upper reaches, the Ammonoosuc still harbors wild brook trout as well as rainbows and browns. To permanently protect important trout habitat and enhance angler access, the Forest Society will acquire 257 acres that include frontage on the main stem of the Ammonoosuc River and seven feeder streams. Please join us in making this conservation vision a reality.

Tuckaway Farm in Lee is receiving $73,000 to conserve a 36-acre property adjacent to a farm owned by Dorn and Sarah Cox and Chuck and Laurel Cox. The 200-plus acre Tuckaway Farm is under an existing conservation easement held by the Town of Lee. The Cox family has farmed the 36 acres of land for nearly 50 years and it’s an important component to their operations, so much so that they bought the land and the abutting house when it went on the market in 2018. The old historic home on the property, which will be excluded from the proposed easement, will become a farming education center. Please join us in making this conservation vision a reality.

Lastly, $85,000 was granted to help conserve land owned by the Morrill Dairy Farm in Boscawen. The Forest Society is working together with the Town of Boscawen to purchase a conservation easement on 115 acres of high-quality agricultural land on Long and Water Streets in Boscawen from the Morrill family. The Morrill Dairy Farm has been in operation for nearly a century and is now owned by Rob and Sherri Morrill and their sons, Andy, Kevin, and Ryan, and daughter Kim. Currently, the Morrill's are milking 140 cows and have a total of just over 500 cows on the farm. Please join us in making this conservation vision a reality.

“We’re pleased that LCHIP recognized the extraordinary value in conserving these three projects—two farms and a forested river,” said Jack Savage, president of the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. “It’s important to remember, too, that these projects are made possible by our partners and landowners who also understand the value of land conservation. Across the state, the LCHIP grants are helping protect remarkable assets that define our state. We’re pleased to be part of that.”

Projects are being supported in each of the state’s ten counties. This grant round was highly competitive, with over $7 million in funding requests compared to $3.5 million available for grants. LCHIP Board Chair Amanda Merrill of Durham observed “The LCHIP Board of Directors was particularly impressed with the variety and quality of projects seeking support this year.”

Grant recipients are required to raise a minimum of one dollar for each dollar provided by LCHIP. This year’s awards of $3.5 million will be matched by more than $10 million that the project proponents will raise from other public and private sources, infusing a total of almost $14 million into the state’s economy in direct project activity.

About New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program

The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program is an independent state authority created by the legislature in 2000 with a legislative mandate is to ensure the perpetual contribution of natural, cultural and historic resources to the economy, environment, and quality of life in New Hampshire. LCHIP provides matching grants to New Hampshire communities and non-profits to conserve and preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural and historic resources. Prior to the grant awards described herein, the program has provided 466 grants which have helped to conserve more than 290,000 acres of land for food production, water quality, ecological values, timber management and recreation and supported 280 projects to rehabilitate historic structures and sites. Grants have been awarded in all parts of the state and in 167 of New Hampshire’s 234 communities. Forty-six million dollars of state money has led to a total project value of more than $317 million. The money for LCHIP grants comes from fees on four documents recorded at the Registry of Deeds in every county of the state.

Senate Overrides Governor’s Veto of LCHIP Bill but Bill Dies in the House

Matt Leahy | September 20, 2019

Despite a strong 17-7 vote in the Senate in favor of overriding Governor Sununu’s veto of Senate Bill 74, which would have increased dedicated funding for the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), the legislation died in the House when it was unable to get the two-thirds majority needed to have it enacted. The Governor vetoed the bill in July. If approved, SB 74 would have increased the surcharge from $25 to $35 for the recording of certain documents at the registries of deeds. This proposal would have added an additional $1.5 million each year to LCHIP’s budget.

The Forest Society strongly supported the bill. We would encourage our members to thank those legislators who supported the veto override. Despite the disappointing outcome, it is clear the majority of our elected representatives in the House and Senate recognize the important benefits LCHIP brings to our state.

It is important to remember LCHIP’s annual budget is set as part of the overall State budget process. Not surprisingly, the Governor’s veto of the State’s operating budget for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 and the protracted negotiations between legislative leaders and the Governor to find a compromise has created uncertainty among all the organizations, agencies and municipalities, including LCHIP, who depend on the state budget to operate.

However, the veto of SB 74 does not mean the program will be left without any resources in the coming year. The proposed State budget the House of Representatives and the Senate approved prior to the Governor’s veto of it included $3.5 million for both FY 2020 and FY 2021. Given the support it has, we are confident any budget solution will include this level of funding for LCHIP.