environmental issues

The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA’s legal services or your municipal attorney.

It is well known that lead is highly toxic and harmful to people, especially children. Unfortunately, because of its aging housing stock, New Hampshire is experiencing childhood lead poisoning at a rate nearly twice the national average. Among the several hundred documented cases of lead poisoning each year in the Granite State, it is estimated that a significant number of children are poisoned as a result of unsafe renovation, repair, or painting activities. While the U.S.

Are you aware of the Low-Income Drought Assistance Program (DAP) created by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to assist eligible low-income homeowners with their need for an immediate reliable water supply and to improve the resiliency of their drinking water against future threats of drought? The program provides financial assistance to meet these residents’ essential needs, keep them in their homes and reduce stress on local financial aid programs.

Community Power, also known as municipal electricity aggregation, is an emerging opportunity for New Hampshire cities and towns to negotiate lower electricity rates and cleaner energy on behalf of their communities. Community Power offers an alternative to the utility default supply service, and is frequently undertaken to reduce electricity costs, offer a stable rate, provide a responsible alternative to third party supply options, and increase renewable energy in the electricity supply.

This is the third of a four-part series focusing on the State’s water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article will spotlight a municipal system; address critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outline funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.

This is the first of a four-part series focusing on the State's water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article will spotlight a municipal system; address critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outline funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.

On January 2, 1987, a notable event occurred in the state of New Hampshire’s efforts to protect its environment. Culminating years of legislative deliberations, a new environmental agency was created: the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES). So this year, 2012, marks the 25thanniversary of the creation of DES and its service to the people of our state.

The lack of snow and the unseasonably warm New Hampshire winter have many people across the state thinking about the potential for drought this spring or summer. Because drought is progressive in nature and comes on slowly, it is often not recognized until it reaches a severe level. New Hampshire experienced a limited drought in the summer of 2010 and the third worst drought on record from 2001-2003.

This is the second of a four-part series focusing on the state’s water infrastructure: public drinking water, wastewater, storm water and dams. Each article will spotlight a municipal system; address critical needs of that infrastructure system; and outline funding sources available to municipalities today that may be used to maintain and sustain these critically important infrastructure systems.