Amendment 2024-1642s to HB1613 (2024)

Establishing a trust fund for money from soil and water environmental contamination court settlements.


Revision: April 25, 2024, 8:23 a.m.

Senate Ways and Means

April 24, 2024

2024-1642s

05/08

 

 

Amendment to HB 1613-FN

 

Amend RSA 485-J:1, I as inserted by section 1 of the bill by replacing it with the following:

 

I.  There is hereby established the New Hampshire soil and water contamination settlement trust fund that shall be kept distinct and separate from all other state funds.  Any funds or proceeds received by the attorney general on behalf of the state or its citizens as a result of any civil judgment or settlement of a claim, suit, petition, or other action regarding damages from environmental contamination of soil and water shall be deposited into the trust fund.  All moneys in the fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the department of environmental services for the purposes of this chapter.  All moneys in the fund shall be exempt from the 10 percent disposition in RSA 7:6-e.

 

Amend RSA 485-J:1, IV as inserted by section 1 of the bill by replacing it with the following:

 

IV.  If after a period of 4 years, any funds from a specific settlement which remain in the soil and water contamination trust fund and have not been spent to address eligible expenses and damages, the state treasurer shall, upon approval by the legislative fiscal committee of a request from the department of environmental services, transfer any remaining settlement funds to one or more dedicated environmental funds under the administration of the department of environmental services, as directed by the commissioner of the department of environmental services.