Environment (Coastal & Flood Protection)

HB 1285 creates a multi-agency task force to study whether New Hampshire could implement an R-PACER program, which would allow homeowners to finance property resilience improvements (like flood mitigation) through property taxes. The task force, including state finance and housing authorities, must review lessons from New Hampshire’s existing C-PACER program for businesses, examine other states’ R-PACER models, and recommend if and how such a program should be adopted. It will assess key elements like eligible improvements, consumer protections, lender oversight, and required administrative authority. The task force must report its findings and legislative recommendations to state leaders by June 2027, with no immediate policy changes enacted by this bill.

HB 1468 allows New Hampshire municipalities to voluntarily include flood resilience planning in their master plans, without imposing new state mandates or costs. The bill amends state law to require municipalities to identify flood risks and propose mitigation measures in their natural hazards sections (Section 2), and adds an optional coastal/inland flood resilience section addressing storm surge, riverine flooding, erosion, and infrastructure protection (Section 3). It also expands state housing planning grants to cover flood hazard mitigation and related land use updates. Municipalities may choose whether to adopt these provisions, with the law taking effect 60 days after passage.

HB 595 adds flood resiliency improvements to the definition of qualifying improvements for C-PACE and R-PACE funding, helping property owners finance flood mitigation measures. It enables municipalities to offer property tax abatements or freezes for flood resilience projects and to assess fees on properties in flood resilience zones to fund a non-lapsing flood resilience investment fund. The bill also appropriates $500,000 for a statewide analysis of flood risk mitigation costs and benefits. These provisions directly affect property owners in flood-prone areas and municipalities seeking to implement flood resilience programs.

HB 707 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services to establish site-specific setback distances for new landfills from perennial rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. It mandates that setbacks must be calculated using a formula based on groundwater seepage velocity testing (conducted by an independent hydrogeologist) and must be at least 3,000 feet or the 5-year groundwater travel distance, whichever is greater. The bill directly affects developers seeking permits for new landfills by imposing these distance requirements to protect water sources from contamination. It also includes additional safeguards like 24/7 landfill staffing, restrictions on building near Superfund sites or existing landfills, and soil permeability standards. The law does not apply to expansions of currently operating landfills.

HB 1273 creates "Flood Resilience Incentive Zones" (FRIZ) to help homeowners in flood-prone areas make resilience improvements. It allows municipalities to offer tax credits (minimum $100 annually), property tax relief, and low-cost loans for qualifying projects like elevating homes, installing flood barriers, using natural water management systems (e.g., bioswales), or upgrading electrical systems to reduce flood damage. Municipalities can also collect a fee of up to $0.50 per $1,000 property value to fund these initiatives through revolving funds. The bill directly affects residential property owners in designated FRIZ areas and gives local governments new tools to support flood mitigation.

HB 1478 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services to revise rules for new landfills to better protect public health and the environment. The bill mandates that new landfills must maintain a minimum 1,500-foot setback from drinking water wells, rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, calculated using a specific groundwater travel distance method. This method requires applicants to hire independent hydrogeologists to test groundwater velocity and ensure contamination cannot reach water sources within five years. The rule changes directly affect landfill applicants and the Department, replacing current rules deemed insufficiently protective of water resources.