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Four solar projects for low- to moderate-income households awarded funding
The Executive Council this week approved funding for four solar projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income residents in Laconia, Newmarket, Weare, and the Center Harbor area. Councilors OK’d close to $1 million from the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Fund, which supports thermal and electrical renewable energy initiatives. State statute requires that the department […]
Summer may bring lower electric rates, but clean energy advocates say seesaw will continue
The new default electric service rate proposed by Unitil could be a positive indicator for all New Hampshire ratepayers this summer. Filed with the Public Utilities Commission on June 14, Unitil is proposing a default electric service rate of 13.25 cents per kilowatt hour, a close to 50 percent decrease from its current rate of […]
Attention, campers: Transporting firewood can spread invasive insects
The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands is telling campers to leave firewood at home this summer, and instead be sure to purchase it locally when arriving at their destination. Buying local firewood is one of the easiest ways to keep the state’s forests healthy. Why? Because firewood transport is a leading cause of […]
As New Hampshire considers cannabis legalization, economic justice fades from view
It was 2011 when Devin Alexander was arrested for possessing marijuana. He was a senior in high school, and almost instantly his plans to join the U.S. Air Force went up in smoke. More than a decade later, three letters precede Alexander’s name: CEO, of a cannabis delivery company based in Newton, Massachusetts. He was […]
Will New Hampshire soon see its first stormwater utility?
Fifteen years after New Hampshire state law allowed towns and cities to form their own stormwater utilities, not a single municipality has successfully enacted one. The funding mechanism is becoming more attractive for many communities as they grapple with aging infrastructure and climate change-induced rainfall, flooding, and sea-level rise. But it’s been an uphill battle […]
With veto worries looming, NH House nixes changes to last remaining landfill siting bill
South Acworth Republican Rep. Judy Aron warned House members on Thursday that amendments to the last landfill siting bill remaining this legislative session would likely cement its death by the Senate or the governor’s veto pen. They listened, striking down a proposed floor amendment by Rep. Kelley Potenza, a Rochester Republican, and voting “ought to […]
NH moms, children among participants in study linking PFAS exposure to obesity risk
A new National Institutes of Health study suggests prenatal exposure to PFAS is linked to slightly higher body mass index and obesity risk in children. Some of the data used came from New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study – operated out of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth – was one of […]
Gov. Chris Sununu says he won’t run for president in 2024
Ending many months of speculation, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announced Monday he will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. “The Republican Party is at a crossroads, and in 2024 we Republicans must nominate the most conservative candidate for president who can win in November of 2024 and get things done in […]
Sununu vetoes net metering expansion bill over drafting error, cost-shift concerns
Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bill this week that would have dramatically expanded net metering in New Hampshire, pointing to a drafting error that he said went too far. As originally introduced, Senate Bill 79 would have allowed industrial-scale businesses to install renewable net metering generators of up to five megawatts annually. But an unintentional […]
Coastal New Hampshire communities to get new hydrodynamic flood risk model
The state of New Hampshire is currently working off limited flood risk maps. The water level maps guiding decision makers on coastal storm and sea-level rise scenarios don’t account for waves, winds, or other physical features that dynamically interact with tidal floodwaters. The existing maps provide a rudimentary “bathtub” approach for depicting flood risk, said […]
NH declares smoke advisory due to Nova Scotia wildfires
The state Department of Environmental Services is issuing an elevated particle air pollution advisory for Tuesday afternoon through Friday, citing wildfires in Canada. Central and southern Nova Scotia have experienced unusual record-breaking heat resulting in the wildfires spanning more than 25,000 acres and forcing more than 16,000 people to evacuate their homes. Current wind patterns […]
As NH marks Black Birders Week, organizers aim to educate about lived experiences
Tucked away on a busy Concord thoroughfare dotted with big-box stores, fast food chains, and automotive services is 10 acres of recreational green space. At Keach Park in the city’s Heights neighborhood, a flat, shaded walking trail loops around a large field, playground, seasonal pool, and basketball courts. Tall trees crowd the dirt path, providing […]