relative to permitting and fee authority for mining and prospecting.

The bill's status label changed from 'As Amended by the Senate' to 'Version Adopted by Both Bodies,' reflecting that both chambers approved the same text without further changes.

A new date/timestamp line (4Jun2026... 2162EBA) was added to document when the final adopted version was produced.

The rulemaking authority for mining and prospecting permits was moved from RSA 485-A:6 (paragraph VIII) to a new paragraph (VIII-a) within RSA 485-A:17 itself, consolidating the authority closer to the permitting section.

The Senate added a requirement that rules governing mining and prospecting permits must include public hearings, and those rules must set a deadline by which the department must issue a decision after the public hearing concludes. This gives affected communities a formal opportunity to weigh in and ensures timely decisions.

The bill's amended analysis now references a provision requiring cessation of disturbance when human remains are encountered during permitted mining or prospecting activities, indicating a new cultural resource protection was added to the bill (full text not visible in this excerpt).

The entire provision prohibiting new large groundwater extractions for commercial sale of bottled or bulk water using hydrocarbon-derived plastic (RSA 485-C:21) was deleted.

New definitions added for 'dimension stone,' 'mining,' 'mineral,' 'reclamation,' 'rock,' and 'prospect' in RSA 485-A:2, establishing the regulatory vocabulary for mining activities.

A new exemptions section (RSA 485-A:2-a) was created, exempting mining activities that existed before August 24, 1979, and rock crushing for construction aggregate already regulated under RSA 155-E.

The terrain alteration permit requirement (RSA 485-A:17) was expanded to explicitly include 'mine' and 'prospect' as activities requiring a departmental permit before undertaking work.

Application fees were restructured: the base fee for all other projects dropped from $500 plus $0.005 per square foot to $250 plus $0.04 per square foot, while new tiered fees were added ($3,125 for permit-by-notification, $6,250 for 150,000-200,000 sq ft projects, $5,000 for certain RSA 483-B:9 properties, and $2,500 per additional 100,000 sq ft).

Rulemaking authority (RSA 485-A:6, VIII) was expanded to include requirements for financial assurance and reclamation tied to mining and prospecting permit applications.