Bill Text - HCR10 (2020)

Urging Congress to grant states broader authority to set higher environmental standards than those established in federal law.


Revision: Dec. 2, 2019, 3:32 p.m.

HCR 10 - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2020 SESSION

20-2065

06/10

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 10

 

A RESOLUTION urging Congress to grant states broader authority to set higher environmental standards than those established in federal law.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Backus, Hills. 19; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Suzanne Smith, Graf. 8; Rep. Danielson, Hills. 7; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4

 

COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This concurrent resolution urges Congress to grant states broader authority to set higher environmental standards than those established in federal law.

 

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20-2065

06/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

A RESOLUTION urging Congress to grant states broader authority to set higher environmental standards than those established in federal law.

 

Whereas, the citizens of New Hampshire have relied for over a generation on the federal government's signature environmental protection statutes and the federal regulations issued pursuant to those statutes to protect public health and this state's environment and natural resources; and

Whereas, such federal environmental protection laws include the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.), the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), and any federal regulations issued pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; and

Whereas, federal environmental protection laws establish the baseline standards for protection of public health and this state's environment and natural resources, while providing express authorization to states to adopt more protective measures; and

Whereas, the current federal administration is attempting to oust the states of their traditional power to set standards for protection of the environment and  public health at levels more protective than that afforded by federally authorized standards,  contrary to settled precedent, and thereby put at risk the interest of New Hampshire citizens in having available more robust  protective standards for the environment and public health and safety of New Hampshire; and now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the general court calls upon our representatives in Congress to oppose any attempt to deprive the states of their traditional right to treat federal standards as baseline and in appropriate cases inadequate to assure the level of protection of the public health and safety and the natural environment of New Hampshire and its citizens; and

That a copy of this resolution be sent to the speaker of New Hampshire house of representatives and the president of the New Hampshire senate; and

That the house clerk is hereby directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate and to the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and copies to the members of the said Senate and House of Representatives from this state; also to transmit copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of the legislative houses in the several states, requesting their cooperation.