CHAPTER 335
HB 737 - FINAL VERSION
19Mar2019... 0991h
06/06/2019 2341s
27Jun2019... 2653-EBA
2019 SESSION
19-0617
08/10
HOUSE BILL 737
SPONSORS: Rep. Murphy, Hills. 21; Rep. Meuse, Rock. 29; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 21; Rep. Stack, Hills. 21; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Knirk, Carr. 3; Rep. Salloway, Straf. 5; Rep. McMahon, Rock. 7; Rep. L'Heureux, Hills. 21; Rep. Mullen, Hills. 7; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a commission to investigate and analyze the environmental and public health impacts relating to releases of perfluorinated chemicals in the air, soil, and groundwater in Merrimack, Bedford, and Litchfield.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Mar2019... 0991h
06/06/2019 2341s
27Jun2019... 2653-EBA 19-0617
08/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
335:1 New Subdivision; Commission on the Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Perfluorinated Chemicals. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 79 the following new subdivision:
Commission on the Environmental and Public Health Impacts
of Perfluorinated Chemicals
126-A:79-a Commission on the Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Perfluorinated Chemicals.
I. There is established a commission to study environmental and public health impacts resulting from per fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) releases to the air, soil, and water in Merrimack, Litchfield and Bedford.
II.(a) The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) Five members of the house of representatives, 3 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and 2 of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader.
(2) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(3) The program manager from the department of health and human services environmental public health tracking program, or designee.
(4) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.
(5) The director of the university of New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice, or designee.
(6) A representative from the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.
(7) Two citizens with backgrounds in environmental science and/or public health, recommended by the senators appointed to the commission and appointed by the president of the senate.
(8) A representative from each of the affected towns of Merrimack, Bedford, and Litchfield, appointed by the governing body of such town.
(9) Three residents, one from each of the affected towns of Merrimack, Bedford, and Litchfield, who are members of drinking water related environmental advocacy citizen organizations which are not affiliated with any government or state agency, recommended by the senators appointed to the commission and appointed by the president of the senate.
(10) A hydrogeologist, appointed by the New Hampshire chapter of the United States Geological Survey.
(11) A toxicologist, epidemiologist, or environmental health professor from the university of New Hampshire, appointed by that institution.
(b) Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
III.(a) The commission's study shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Obtaining information necessary to delineate the extent of PFAS drinking water contamination from airborne, soil, and groundwater releases.
(2) Assessing and implementing steps necessary to investigate public health impacts from PFAS exposures to air, soil, and drinking water.
(3) Assessing sources and impacts to surface water from wastewater and other discharges from the Merrimack, New Hampshire Saint Gobain plant.
(4) Assessing whether soil regulations are sufficient to contain contaminated materials.
(5) Receiving updates at each commission meeting from the department of environmental services and the department of health and human services on matters including but not limited to, scientific findings and related materials, enforcement actions, and regulatory status.
(6) Receiving ongoing copies of all correspondence between state and federal agencies and responsible parties; including but not limited to, documents related to scientific findings, interim progress and regulatory or enforceable matters from the department of environmental services and the department of health and human services.
(7) Developing prioritized governmental and community actions.
(8) Reviewing the progress made by state and federal agencies, if appropriate, and their partners.
(9) Delineating the potential roles and responsibilities for municipalities, state agencies, and their partners.
(10) Communicating to the public about the environmental and public health impacts of the PFAS exposure investigation and analysis.
(11) Assessing whether current rules or regulations are sufficiently protective of public health and proposing legislation, as necessary, to protect public health.
(12) Recommending legislation, as necessary, to carry out the charge of the commission or resulting from any commission findings.
(13) Assessing whether current penalties and regulatory controls are sufficiently protective of the environment and public health and recommending changes necessary.
(14) Assessing agreements between the state and Saint Gobain and proposing additional actions necessary to achieve the charge of the commission and,
(b) The commission shall solicit information from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study. The commission may, with input from a state agency or agencies, decide whether additional appropriations are necessary to complete the work of the commission.
IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
V. The commission shall submit an interim report of its findings on November 1, each year between 2020 and 2024, and a final report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2024.
335:2 Repeal. RSA 126-A:79-a, relative to the commission on the environmental and public health impacts of perfluorinated chemicals, is repealed.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2024.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved: August 16, 2019
Effective Date:
I. Section 2 shall take effect November 1, 2024.
II. Remainder shall take effect August 16, 2019.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2019 | House | Hearing |
| March 13, 2019 | House | Exec Session |
| House | Floor Vote | |
| March 19, 2019 | House | Floor Vote |
| April 16, 2019 | Senate | Hearing |
| May 30, 2019 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| May 30, 2019 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| June 6, 2019 | Senate | Floor Vote |
Aug. 16, 2019: Signed by Governor Sununu 08/16/2019; Chapter 335; I. Sec. 2 Eff: 11/01/2024 II. Rem. Eff: 08/16/2019
June 27, 2019: Enrolled 06/27/2019 HJ 20 P. 59
June 27, 2019: Enrolled (In recess 06/27/2019); SJ 21
June 27, 2019: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2019-2653e: AA VV 06/27/2019 HJ 20 P. 57
June 27, 2019: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2019-2653e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/27/2019); SJ 21
June 13, 2019: House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2341s (Rep. Suzanne Smith): MA VV 06/13/2019 HJ 19 P. 11
June 6, 2019: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2019-2341s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 06/06/2019; SJ 19
June 6, 2019: Sen. Bradley Floor Amendment # 2019-2406s, RC 10Y-14N, AF; 06/06/2019; SJ 19
June 6, 2019: Committee Amendment # 2019-2341s, AA, VV; 06/06/2019; SJ 19
June 6, 2019: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-2341s, 06/06/2019; SC 25
May 30, 2019: Special Order to the next session, Without Objection, MA; 05/30/2019; SJ 18
May 30, 2019: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-2341s, 05/30/2019; SC 24A
April 16, 2019: Hearing: 04/16/2019, Room 103, SH, 08:50 am; SC 18
March 28, 2019: Introduced 03/28/2019 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 12
March 19, 2019: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2019-0991h: MA VV 03/19/2019 HJ 10 P. 35
March 19, 2019: Amendment # 2019-0991h: AA VV 03/19/2019 HJ 10 P. 35
: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-0991h (Vote 20-0; CC)
March 19, 2019: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-0991h for 03/19/2019 (Vote 20-0; CC) HC 16 P. 13
March 13, 2019: Executive Session: 03/13/2019 10:00 am LOB 305
March 5, 2019: Public Hearing: 03/05/2019 11:15 am LOB 305
Jan. 3, 2019: Introduced 01/03/2019 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 3 P. 28
Jan. 24, 2019: Late Drafting and Introduction Approved by Rules Committee 01/24/2019 HJ 3 P. 28