2011 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference

On behalf of the WRWC, I will be exhibiting and participating in this comprehensive event.

"Conference participants will enhance their capacity to understand, protect, and manage New Hampshire’s water resources by:

1.Learning about ground-breaking research and its application.
2.Receiving latest updates on water related policies and agency programs.
3.Gaining knowledge about effective water education and outreach.
4.Participating in training sessions to improve organizational skills and functioning.
5.Sharing understanding, concerns, accomplishments, skills and perspectives with others.
6.Contributing to state-wide planning efforts for New Hampshire’s water future."


The talks I will be attending:

~Making instream flow protection work: the Lamprey Water Management Plan – Wayne Ives, NH Department of Environmental Services

~Introduction to social marketing ‐ Julia Peterson, NH Sea Grant & UNH Cooperative Extension

~Land resources management permitting – enhancing the local role ‐ Carolyn Russell and Steve Couture, NH Department of Environmental Services

~Status Update: 2011 Surface Water and Wetland Legislation and the 2010 Legislative Water Study Commissions ‐ Rene Pelletier, NH Department of Environmental Services

~The Southeast Watershed Alliance – building intermunicipal cooperation to improve water quality ‐ Alison Watts, Ph.D., Southeast Watershed Alliance


The conference is taking place at Plymouth State University.

Rivers Management Program

Happy Spring to All!

Here's an update on the various river nominations as they went through the House last week:

HB44, the bill to nominate the Oyster River, HB336, the bill to nominate the Mascoma River, and HB555, the bill to nominate the Exeter-Squamscott stretch, were passed on the House floor on February 23.

HB 149, the bill to nominate the Lamprey and its tributaries, passed in the House on March 17, but it was significantly amended. For those who fought long and hard for this bill (pre-amendments), the outcome is bittersweet: 1. the amendment was significant and weakened RSA 483, in that the very tribs that feed the river were not permitted to be included, and 2. the municipalities involved who wrote letters of support for the designation based on the statute as it existed BEFORE it was weakened are now not getting what they wanted.

View each of the nomination bills:

Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0044.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0336.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0555.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0149.html


Even more concerning, the House approved additional plans that weaken RSA 483 in bill HB 27, in which dreaded restrictions to septage and sludge land applications will not have to apply for another 5-1/2 years.

You are asked to help keep up the good fight in preserving the integrity of RSA 483 (which is also under attack via major budget cuts**--cuts that could virtually eliminate the program!). The next step is for all of these bills to be heard in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee:
Who's my legislator?

As pertinent info comes my way, it will be posted here. And, as Michele Tremblay noted in her Legislative Alert email, "Thank you to everyone who stepped up and made calls, sent letters and/or emails, and provided personal testimony at the hearings."



**House Division I will "exec" (vote) on these cuts on Monday, March 21, 2011 so it is essential that you call today:
Who's my legislator?