Energy + Environment
USDA to send out $1.4 billion to boost rural economies in the states
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that the agency is investing $1.4 billion into rural economies through job training, business loans, and the expansion of technical assistance. Vilsack said the programs will help create wealth in rural communities. “The rural economy, which plays an important role in our national economy, has historically […]
Federal judge cites climate effect in canceling Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale
A federal judge invalidated leases to drill for oil and gas in a broad swath of the Gulf of Mexico, telling the Biden administration to weigh climate impacts before allowing development. The ruling late Thursday handed a victory to environmental groups that had challenged the Interior Department’s move to comply with a separate court order […]
Consumer advocate appeals energy efficiency decision
The Office of the Consumer Advocate is taking legal action on a contentious energy efficiency decision made by the Public Utilities Commission, filing an appeal with the New Hampshire Supreme Court on Wednesday. Consumer Advocate Don Kreis is optimistic the court will take up the appeal “given that the PUC’s decision is so outrageously inconsistent […]
Green burial: The push for a sustainable death
For an 18-year-old, Anya Nicoll knows a lot about burials. And like many of her generation, she is concerned about sustainability – her starting point for what’s become two years and counting of advocating for environmentally friendly burials. Natural, or green, burials forgo the concrete vault, metal casket, and embalming fluid involved in a typical […]
Is this the year for a bottle bill in New Hampshire?
Past attempts to pass a bottle bill in New Hampshire have failed, but proponents of the policy think this year could be different, citing a groundswell of public awareness and environmental concern around how the state deals with solid waste. This year’s proposal – House Bill 1652 – would establish a 10-cent deposit on beverage […]
Senate committee advances energy efficiency bill
This article was updated at 2:44 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2022 to correct Bill Newell’s name. A bipartisan bill that would restart state energy efficiency programs could reach the governor’s desk as early as February, after it passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. The version […]
Utilities commission denies motion for rehearing on energy efficiency decision
The Public Utilities Commission on Friday denied a motion for rehearing on a contentious energy efficiency decision it issued in November. This comes after the state’s utilities, along with environmental, clean energy, and consumer advocates, asked the commission to reconsider the decision. Instead, the commission doubled down on its initial decision, dismissing claims about due […]
Losing winter – and big chunks of New Hampshire’s identity
All of the seasons in New Hampshire are warming as a result of climate change, but none as rapidly and dramatically as winter, climate scientists have found. Those seasonal changes, and the loss of winter, threaten to significantly alter the culture and economy of the state, warn the authors of a new study, which finds […]
Some Democrats push to rescue climate plan in Biden spending package
A group of congressional Democrats on Tuesday called for preserving the climate portions of President Joe Biden’s stalled domestic spending bill as Democrats in the U.S. Senate rewrite the measure. U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Tina Smith of Minnesota, and John Hickenlooper of Colorado, along with Reps. Kathy Castor […]
Lawmakers seek to add PUC deadline to energy efficiency legislation
Rep. Michael Vose, an Epping Republican, and Sen. David Watters, a Dover Democrat, have drafted an amendment to House Bill 549, which would increase funding for state energy efficiency programs. The bill – not including the latest amendment – will be up for a vote this week, during a flurry of voting as legislators take […]
Vaccine, environment, energy, and abortion will dominate legislative session
Lawmakers won’t have a budget to write, debate, and negotiate this session, but with at least 900 bills awaiting their return on Jan. 5, it will be another busy year. We told you about some of the under-the-radar bills last month. We’re back with a preview of the bills that will be front and center, […]
Assistance for farmers will cover organic certification costs
Pandemic assistance is now available to cover certification costs for farmers who have switched or are in the process of switching to organic agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing a total of $20 million that farmers can apply for to cover certain expenses from 2020 and 2021 – including the cost of organic […]