CONCORD
– Environment New Hampshire, a state-based environmental organization,
is calling for passage and implementation of two policies this session
that will provide strong protections for New Hampshire’s waterways.
The two bills seek to protect New Hampshire’s wetlands from
overdevelopment. SB 435 calls for an update to the permitting process
for development in New Hampshire’s wetlands and HB 1579-FN proposes a
75 foot setback requirement from wetlands for structures and septic
systems.
“Irresponsible
development is threatening the health of many of our great waterways in
New Hampshire,” said Kathryn Fox, preservation associate for
Environment New Hampshire. “SB 435 and HB 1579-FN will help protect
our wetlands in New Hampshire that are important in preserving the
health of waterways such as 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 of wetlands. These
wetlands are important to maintaining the health of waterways in the
Seacoast region, in particular the Great Bay Estuary, by providing
storage for floodwaters, sustaining a variety of habitats for hundreds
of species of wildlife, and filtering out pollutants.
However,
the Great Bay Estuary is also located in one of the fastest growing
regions in New Hampshire. Between 2000 and 2025 the population of
Rockingham County is expected to increase by almost 80,000 people and
between 1990 and 2000 impervious surface coverage increased by 46
percent.
Environment
New Hampshire hopes that the passage of these two bills will help
protect the wetlands of the Great Bay Estuary from encroaching
development and will mark the beginning of a series of future laws that
will protect New Hampshire’s waterways from rampant development.
Today, Environment New Hampshire released a report called, The Future of New Hampshire’s Treasured Waterways: A Plan to Protect our Lakes, Rivers, and Estuaries,
that outlines a set of policy recommendations for the state that will
help protect and preserve all of New Hampshire’s waterways. The group
calls for policies and actions 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.”
