Bill Text - HB1294 (2024)

(New Title) establishing a committee to study ways to facilitate municipal compliance with Clean Water Act requirements.


Revision: Oct. 13, 2023, 12:28 p.m.

 

2024 SESSION

24-2171.0

10/08

 

HOUSE BILL [bill number]

 

AN ACT relative to prohibiting the state of New Hampshire from enforcing the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency.

 

SPONSORS: [sponsors]

 

COMMITTEE: [committee]

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill states that the federal Environmental Protection Agency has no constitutional validity in this state, and requires that the New Hampshire department of environmental services provide for all environmental protection in this state.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2171.0

10/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT relative to prohibiting the state of New Hampshire from enforcing the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Findings.  The general court finds that the scope of power defined by the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States means that the federal government was created by the states specifically to be an agent of the states, and that federal laws are supreme only when made in pursuance of the Constitution of the United States.  The regulation making authority of the United States Environmental Protection Agency is not authorized by any article or amendment of the Constitution of the United States and violates the Constitution's true meaning and intent as given by the founders and ratifiers.

2  New Paragraph; Department of Environmental Services; Establishment; Functions.  Amend RSA 21-O:1 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:

III.(a)  Because the authority of the United States Environmental Protection Agency is not authorized by any article or amendment of the Constitution of the United States, all regulations imposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency are void in New Hampshire.  The state and it's political subdivisions, including, but not limited to counties, cities, towns, precincts, water districts, school districts, school administrative units, or quasi-public entities, shall not engage in the enforcement of, or any collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency.  Furthermore, any requirements, mandates, recommendations, instructions, or guidance by the Environmental Protection Agency shall have no force of effect in New Hampshire.

(b)  The state, being conscious of the need for environmental protection for its citizens, shall provide environmental protection through the department of environmental services established by this chapter.

(c)  The department of environmental services shall be responsible for the implementation of all necessary rules concerning environmental protection in New Hampshire.  The department shall develop and propose legislation to replace any requirements, mandates, recommendations, instructions, or guidance by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which are contained in the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated or rules of the department, with proper laws and rules thereunder which may be enacted by the general court.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.