The fight to protect the Great Bay Estuary

Environment New Hampshire continues to work in the Statehouse to convince state officials to pass legislation to protect the Great Bay Estuary and wetlands across the state by limiting over-development around wetland areas.

“Irresponsible development is threatening the health of many of our great waterways in New Hampshire,” said Kathryn Fox, preservation associate for Environment New Hampshire. “This legislation will help protect our wetlands in New Hampshire, which are important to preserving the health of waterways such as the Great Bay Estuary.”

One piece of legislation, which the Department of Environmental Services currently opposes, would require the Department to assess the full impact of proposed development near wetlands areas. The other bill proposes a 75-foot setback requirement from wetlands for structures and septic systems.

Due to Environment New Hampshire’s work so far, one wetlands protection bill has passed the Senate Energy, Environment and Economic Development Committee.

The plight of the Great Bay Estuary

Rockingham County, where the Great Bay Estuary is located, has the most wetlands acreage in the state, with over 60,000 acres.

These wetlands provide storage for floodwaters, sustain a variety of habitats for hundreds of species of wildlife, and, by filtering out pollutants, maintain the health of waterways in the seacoast region.

However, the Great Bay Estuary is also located in one of the fastest growing regions in New Hampshire. And the population of Rockingham County is expected to increase by almost 80,000 people between 2000 and 2025.

Environment New Hampshire hopes that the passage of these two bills will help protect the wetlands of the Great Bay Estuary by marking the beginning of a series of fture laws that will protect New Hampshire’s waterways from rampant development.

The plan to protect our waterways

Providing further evidence of the need for these protective measures, Environment New Hampshire released a new report called “The Future of New Hampshire’s Treasured Waterways: A Plan to Protect our Lakes, Rivers, and Estuaries.” The report outlines a set of policy recommendations for the state that will help protect and preserve all of New Hampshire’s waterways including lakes, rivers, estuaries and wetland areas.  

The report also calls for policies that will promote responsible development, ensure sustainable water use, and clean up waterways by fighting problems like runoff pollution, water withdrawals, and pollution from wastewater treatment facilities.

“New Hampshire’s waterways are an important part of the state’s identity and natural heritage,” said Fox. “In order to preserve these waterways for future generations, we need to give them the strongest possible protections.”