Bill > HB1783

This bill creates a new legal framework to encourage and support innovative community-based or regional water and wastewater treatment projects that can enable residential construction on smaller lot sizes in New Hampshire. Specifically, the bill establishes a new chapter (489-D) defining "community based or regional water options" and "community based or regional wastewater treatment options" as small-scale systems that could reduce minimum lot size requirements for single residences. The Department of Environmental Services will be responsible for determining whether proposed water or wastewater treatment projects qualify, and if approved, these projects can receive benefits such as priority grant consideration, expedited regulatory approval, or exemptions from certain permitting requirements. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Environmental Services to develop statewide or regional water-use standards for both rental and owner-occupied residences, and grants the Department of Business and Economic Affairs discretion to provide priority consideration for housing champion grants to qualifying projects. The municipal bond bank is also directed to offer preferred financing rates for these innovative infrastructure projects. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage, with the goal of supporting more flexible and efficient residential development through advanced water and wastewater treatment solutions.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=2385&inflect=2