Bill > SB593

This bill addresses landfill management and expansion in New Hampshire by establishing state-level preferences and regulations. The bill defines a "landfill expansion" as an addition to an existing landfill's permitted capacity on parcels owned by the landfill operator, and it prioritizes expanding existing landfills over creating new sites on undeveloped land. The legislation grants the Department of Environmental Services exclusive permitting authority for landfill expansions, preventing local municipalities from blocking such expansions through ordinances or regulations. For landfill expansions, the bill requires operators with existing host municipality agreements to increase service values and fees to a minimum of $2.50 per ton of waste. For new landfills (not expansions), the bill mandates comprehensive application requirements, including detailed assessments of visual impacts, economic benefits, infrastructure effects, and potential environmental and community disruptions. The bill also requires the department to establish site-specific groundwater protection setbacks for new landfills to prevent contamination of drinking water sources, rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. The legislation emphasizes the state's interest in maintaining adequate waste disposal capacity while ensuring robust environmental and health protections, and it will take effect 60 days after passage.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1375&inflect=2