Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and embrace winter!!  Is it really going to be cold and colder with ONE day of rain??

There are two informative and important NH Network January meetings. Each will unpack topics known to us, but with details to spur deeper understanding and action.

In addition, there are three opportunities to “Feed Your Brain.”  The first one focuses on extended producer responsibility for reducing plastics, the second one is a congressional senate meeting on reducing plastics, and the third one is a White House playbook for accessing IRA funding.  

While we are “talking plastics”  please check out the Ten Towns • Ten Actions Toolkit webpage.

Meetings

 Friday,  January 13, 2023 — 5:30-7:00 pm - Transactive Energy

Network link explaining transactive energy

Preregistration required, register here:  TRANSACTIVE ENERGY Registration

or type in: bit.ly/NHN-transactive-energy

We have heard a lot lately about “smart electric grids,” which can unlock the potential of Transactive Energy to coordinate our many new distributed energy resources, such as solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles.  Transactive Energy is expected to improve local grid operations, reduce peak grid loads and energy prices, and minimize the need to expand the local electric utility grid.  The NH Electric Cooperative is currently conducting pilot scale Transactive Energy projects to demonstrate the potential of this new technology.   Plan on attending NH Network’s January 13th meeting to hear about this exciting new work by the Cooperative, and what it might mean for the wider New Hampshire.

Parts of our electric grid are now over 100 years old, and none of it was designed for the proliferation of energy resources we’re now experiencing.   Employing Transactive Energy on our electric grids is expected to lower electric consumers’ utility bills, potentially saving NH consumers millions of dollars a year.

Link to Flyer, TRANSACTIVE ENERGY

Link to this Media Advisory Media Advisory, TRANSACTIVE ENERGY

Tuesday,  January 24th, 2023 —  7 to 8:30 pm (Q and A at 8 pm) - Community Power

A Transformative Energy Solution for New Hampshire.  

What your town, city or county need to know to participate.  

Register to attend, by zoom or in person: climate-action-NH

or type in: bit.ly/climate-action-NH

• NH communities pay soaring energy prices, due to over-reliance on natural gas for generating the bulk of our electricity, a lack of forward-looking state energy policies, and outdated electric utility restructuring laws.

• Community Power gives NH communities control of their energy supply decision-making including:  access to potentially less costly electricity, development of innovative local energy supply projects, and benefits to local and state economies.

• This event brings together leading proponents, organizers and providers of Community Power to explain the who, what, when and how for others to seize this unique opportunity. 

Hear from:  Clifton Below, Asst Mayor of Lebanon  ●  Henry Herndon, energy consultant  ●  Don Kreis, NH Consumer Advocate  ● Joshua Bourdon, Founder Derry NetZero Task Force ● Jeff Moulton, chair of Derry NetZero Task Force ● Bart Fromuth, Freedom Energy Logistics  ● Stuart Ormsbee, Colonial Power Group   ● Terry Clark, Cheshire County Commissioner  ●  Lisa Sweet, Rye Energy Committee  ●  Joe Kwasnik, moderator, NH Network Legislative Work Group

Feeding Your Brain

• Informative website on Extended Producer Responsibility - https://www.beyondplastics.org/epr

Globally, packaging EPR programs are the most common, more than electronics, household hazardous waste, appliances, or any of the other programs developed to date. More than one billion people live in places where consumer goods companies pay some or all of the costs of packaging collection and recycling. With the exception of container-deposit laws (also known as “bottle bills”), the United States is the only country out of 34 members to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not have EPR for packaging programs established. Even non-OECD countries including Russia, Taiwan and several South American countries have passed and are implementing EPR for packaging programs.

However, EPR for packaging is gaining in popularity here in the U.S. and could be part of the solution to our growing packaging waste and plastic pollution crisis, but only if it is designed correctly. In theory, shifting costs from taxpayers to the companies encourages companies to use less packaging and choose items that are more recyclable. But EPR will only achieve these outcomes if the legislation includes specific reduction requirements and standards for recyclability, recycled content and elimination of toxic substances.

For example, the European Union has had an EPR for packaging directive in place for years but has seen no reduction in packaging waste during that time although recycling rates have improved. Many EU countries are now adding specific waste reduction targets to their EPR systems in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of their programs.

The plastics and packaging producers see the writing on the wall – the public is demanding solutions to the ubiquitous problem of plastic pollution. In a recent global survey by the market research company IPSOS, 75% of respondents said they want single-use plastics banned.

Unfortunately, the plastics and packaging producers are now aggressively trying to co-opt EPR by throwing their support behind weak bills and seizing an opportunity to look like they’re doing something without doing much of anything. Many of the EPR for packaging bills backed by the industry put the polluters in the driver's seat and ask them to self-regulate. Can you imagine asking the tobacco industry to solve the smoking problem? Or asking fossil fuel companies to solve climate change? It simply won’t work.

• December 15 recording on the senate subcommittee on reducing plastics.  THE MEETING STARTS AT MINUTE 19 OF THE RECORDING.

https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/12/examining-the-impact-of-plastic-use-and-identifying-solutions-for-reducing-plastic-waste

• Biden-Harris Administration Releases Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook for Clean Energy and Climate Programs   (To view the Guidebook in full, click here.)

The White House released the first edition of a new resource titled Building a Clean Energy Economy: A Guidebook to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Investments in Clean Energy and Climate Action, which provides clear descriptions of the law’s tax incentives and funding programs to build a clean energy economy, lower energy costs, tackle climate change, and reduce harmful pollution. The Guidebook will help state, local, territorial, and Tribal leaders, the private sector, non-profit organizations, homeowners, and communities better understand how they can benefit from these investments and unlock the full potential of the law. The Guidebook walks through the law program-by-program and provides background on each program’s purpose, eligibility requirements, period of availability, and other key details. 

In a letter at the beginning of the Guidebook, John Podesta, President Biden’s Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, said:

“When President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law in August 2022, he said the new law ‘is not just about today, it’s about tomorrow. It’s about delivering progress and prosperity to American families.’ The Inflation Reduction Act makes a historic commitment to build a new clean energy economy, powered by American innovators, American workers, and American manufacturers, that will create good-paying, union jobs and cut the pollution that is fueling the climate crisis and driving environmental injustice.”

The Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook follows the successful model of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook and creates a roadmap for the clean energy and climate funding available under the law at the program level.

Since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act four months ago, his administration has been working quickly to design, develop, and implement its programs. This Guidebook provides information on current and prospective clean energy and climate programs. In the coming weeks and months, new developments will be published on www.CleanEnergy.gov to keep stakeholders and potential beneficiaries up to date on the latest deadlines and details.

The Inflation Reduction Act builds on the foundational climate and clean energy investments in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Through his historic legislative accomplishments, along with key executive actions and international leadership, the Administration is delivering on the President’s ambitious climate agenda centered on workers, families, and communities. President Biden has made transparent communication and open engagement top priorities as a means to ensure successful implementation and to fully unlock the unprecedented benefits of the law. This Guidebook is critical step toward delivering on that vision.

To view the Guidebook in full, click here.

Here’s what leaders have to say about the new Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook:

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair, U.S. Climate Alliance: "States are leading the way to a cleaner, greener climate and with the extraordinary investments made possible through the IRA, we're getting ready to transform our states and our country. Thanks to the hard work of President Biden, Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi, New York and the United States are poised to rapidly reduce emissions, support green jobs, save money for hard-working Americans, and improve the health of our communities. This new resource is a critical tool to help get the job done."

Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston, Texas: “Cities have long been on the frontlines of climate change, but the federal support provided by the Inflation Reduction Act will allow us to take action like never before. We thank Congress and President Biden for passing such historic legislation and providing guidance to lawmakers which will light the path forward to justice driven environmental policies, clean energy economies and a livable planet for all.”

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, Wisconsin, Co-Chair of Climate Mayors: “As the incoming Chair of Climate Mayors, I am pleased that Congress and the White House are delivering critical resources for climate action in the form of the historic Inflation Reduction act, and providing strong guidance for policy makers. We are eager to begin implementing the Inflation Reduction Act at the local level and will be making use of the climate provisions, rebates, and tax breaks within it to better the lives of people in our communities while also securing a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future for all.”

Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): “The Inflation Reduction Act is the most robust and forward-looking climate bill ever enacted. Solar and storage companies are eager for clear guidance on the bill so they can focus on creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs for all Americans and deploying low-cost, reliable energy in communities across the country. Timely, easy to understand discussion of this transformative – but complex – new law is exactly what consumers and industry alike need and we look forward to referring to the IRA Guidebook for this valuable information as we work with other allies to build an equitable and just clean energy future.”

Lori Lodes, Executive Director, Climate Power: "Passing the Inflation Reduction Act was an historic victory in the fight against climate change. Now, it's time for the hard work of implementing the law and making sure people understand how the climate and clean energy investments will positively impact their lives and keep their communities healthy and strong. Cleaner, cheaper, American-made energy is taking off. The guidebook is a critical resource to help people and communities get the information needed to use the incentives found in the climate law."

Faye Park, President, U.S. PIRG: “The new Implementation Guidebook for the Inflation Reduction Act makes it clear: Consumers, cities, states, businesses and community organizations now have myriad opportunities to reduce pollution that makes us sick and worsens global warming. Cities can swap dirty buses and garbage trucks for clean electric ones. Your favorite home chef can get a clean electric or induction stove that doesn't increase the risk of asthma for their kids. All of us can save energy in our homes and businesses. We encourage everyone to use this great resource to learn more."

Lisa Frank, Executive Director, Washington Legislative Office, Environment America: “Climate change is a problem that impacts all of us. Now, the Inflation Reduction Act helps us all be part of the solution too, by making it cheaper and easier for Americans to go solar, purchase an electric vehicle or weatherize their home. This new implementation guidebook will help raise awareness of new tax incentives and other programs we can use to take President Biden up on this historic offer to save energy, save money and save the planet. We're excited to put it to work.”

David Masur, Executive Director, PennEnvironment: "The Inflation Reduction Act's tax credits and climate programs will help Pennsylvanians breathe cleaner air, make their homes more energy efficient and expand our use of clean, renewable energy. Thanks to the new Implementation Guidebook, it'll be easier for cities, school districts, community organizations and all Pennsylvanians to understand and utilize these beneficial programs."

Summary Overview:

• Meeting opportunities on December 1, 4 and 5.  (December 5th is the monthly Network opportunity focusing on local actions to effect global change.  Please go to the link to sign up.)

• Informative articles including plastics updates, an interview with Pat Martin and Susan Richmond, and a November 2022 Union of Concerned Scientists on New England States Climate Action Assessment. The “NH assessment” is offered at the end of the weekly summary.  The complete climate report can be accessed in the “Feed Your Brain” section.

Meetings:

• December 1,  1 to 2 pm  Webinar:  Designing Residential Efficiency

This informational webinar will highlight key program design considerations for the Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) Rebate Program (Sec. 50121), High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate (HEEHRA) Program (Sec. 50122), and the Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants (Sec. 50123). DOE will also preview its plans for upcoming listening sessions to allow members of the public and key stakeholder groups to provide insights to DOE staff on the implementation of a residential efficiency and electrification rebates program.

Michael Forrester, Principal Deputy Director, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, US Department of Energy

Link: https://aesp.org/event/the-inflation-reduction-act-residential-efficiency-and-electrification-rebates-program/

• December 4,  6 pm  Plastics Working Group

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09#success

• December 5th 5:30 pm  NH Network meeting:  Local Action, Global Impact:  Using the Power of Communities to Move Us Forward

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1weGv_ul3KM5mWPwR6-8rEMJrnl9KrBEgdHhCYdquulY/edit

Opportunities:

Children's health will bear the biggest brunt of climate change for lots of reasons, and we need to get the word out."  

Here is an email from the founder of  CHICKS and NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action, Bob Friedlander Jr MD, making it easier to learn about CHICKS or be involved:

If you would like to forward this sign-on form I just created to others anywhere, that would be wonderful: friends, family, colleagues, etc.

Grassroots outreach is key to the success of our effort - that’s how I built NH HWCA.   Children’s health will bear the biggest brunt of climate change for lots of reasons, and we need to get the word out.

We already have over 200 sign-ups after our first 4 weeks….  

CHICKS Sign-On Form

Feed Your Brain:

• Indepth NH:   The Radical Centrist:  An interview with Pat Martin and Susan Richman on working with our new legislators.

https://indepthnh.org/2022/11/17/making-your-voice-heard-the-nh-network-environment-energy-climate/

• A primer on plastics from the Plastics WG

Plastics are confusing - 7 different resins, very few of which can be recycled - all containing different chemicals and many requiring different processing for proper disposal.

Alternatives to plastics are also confusing - compostables, bioplastics, reusables. What are they made of? Are they safe? Is the marketing to be believed?

Here's an article from Treehugger that begins to explain a bit about the different alternatives to plastic. At least it's a start.

• A global report on plastics

The Global Commitment has united more than 500 organizations behind a common vision of a circular economy for plastics. 

Driven by the goal of tackling plastic pollution at its source, companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally have committed to ambitious 2025 targets to help realize that common vision. 

Led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, together with the UN Environment Programme, this fourth annual progress report shows how signatories are faring against these targets.

• Union of Concerned Scientists NE State by State Climate Action Assessment

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/new-england-state-climate-action-assessment?_gl=1*ibbtgo*_ga*MTY2MjU5MDU2LjE2Njc0OTc0NTg.*_ga_VB9DKE4V36*MTY2ODcxMjk0OC4xNS4xLjE2Njg3MTQyMTYuMC4wLjA.

New Hampshire

State Overview:

As evidenced by the framework analysis results, New Hampshire is largely unaligned with the other New England states when it comes to its action and approach to addressing climate impacts, with its Climate Action Plan being assigned a “Yes” on 5 of the framework’s principles, “Some” on 4 of the principles, and “No” on the remaining 6 principles. Published in 2009, New Hampshire's CAP, A Plan for New Hampshire’s Energy, Environmental and Economic Development Future, presents the oldest working CAP of the New England states. While the plan does outline several robust and ambitious recommendations for addressing climate mitigation and adaptation needs within the state, a lack of state leadership and will to implement the plan means it remains largely unused at a state-level. From our interviews, there is a clear recognition within state agencies that New Hampshire does not have the same level of climate targets or policies as its neighboring states. This sentiment is also acknowledged in the New Hampshire 10-Year State Energy Strategy (2022); “compared to other New England states, New Hampshire does not have as aggressive renewable mandates or subsidy programs.” However, this is not being viewed as an oversight or shortfall by state leadership, as evidenced in the wording of the New Hampshire 10-Year State Energy Strategy and our interview discussions.

Policy Life Cycle:

Consider Projected Climate Conditions

The New Hampshire CAP presents a series of science-based recommendations for the state, and the development of the plan was heavily informed by evidence-based analyses including scientific projections for sea-level rise, state-level projections for greenhouse gas emissions, economic analyses for carbon reductions, and cost savings analyses of mitigation actions. However, since the publication of the CAP, the state government has failed to adopt a science-based approach to decision-making around climate resilience. New Hampshire remains the only New England state that has yet to adopt legislation that would transition the state away from using fossil fuels and towards renewable energy adoption. This is despite recognition within the CAP that high greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels exacerbates climate impacts, which subsequently carries significant health and economic impacts.

Beyond the CAP, the state has shown some consideration of projected climate impacts in the context of sea-level rise and coastal hazards. Updates to sea-level rise projections by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services every 5 years are prescribed by the state legislature through NH SB 374 (2016), and state agencies responsible for managing coastal resources have been required to conduct audits of the laws governing coastal regions that would enable authorities to take action towards addressing climate resilience needs in coastal communities, through NH SB 452 (2016). The New Hampshire Coastal Risk and Hazards Commission Final Report (2016) has been an influential driver of such legislative pieces addressing coastal climate impacts and demonstrates a willingness within the state government to adopt recommendations for the benefit of climate resilience in the context of coastal hazards and sea-level rise. However, the state does not address any other projected impacts of climate change that the state will face in the near future, such as extreme heat and drought, to the same extent.

Long-Term Planning and Policy Revision:

Create Opportunities to Revise and Change Course

Some of the most damaging shortfalls in the State of New Hampshire’s CAP and in the state’s overall approach to addressing climate resilience needs are evidenced in the state’s lack of a long-term vision for climate planning and in its processes for reviewing and revising climate policies. No clear process or timeline for revising or updating the plan was outlined in the document itself, in other policies or in the state legislation. As a result, there is a lack of accountability for the state government’s failure to enact recommendations and targets outlined in the CAP. With regard to mitigation, the state’s 10-year Energy Strategy must be updated every three years, however the most recent version does not make climate change a priority in its recommendations, does not discuss the implications of climate impacts for energy systems, and does not acknowledge the timing and proximity of projected climate impacts in its recommendations or planning.

Appreciate Limits to Adaptation and Push Mitigation

New Hampshire's CAP prioritizes mitigation efforts, with 59 recommended actions outlined for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the state, compared with just 8 recommendations for adaptation. Recommended mitigation actions largely fall under three overarching strategies: reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, electric generation, and transportation; protect natural resources to maintain the amount of carbon sequestered; and support regional and national initiatives to reduce greenhouse gasses. The CAP discusses regional mitigation targets to reach 80% below 1990 GHG emissions levels by 2050 and that New Hampshire should strive for a similar target, however the plan fails to outline a clear timeline for actionable items to achieve this.The Climate Action Plan Task Force also established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20% below 1990 by 2025. However, no statutory mandate for greenhouse gas emissions reductions was introduced into the state legislature, and New Hampshire remains the only New England state to not be a member of the US Climate Alliance, a coalition of state governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Summary:

New Hampshire’s CAP is outdated, not regularly used within state agencies, and its recommendations were not implemented. State leadership remains focused on the economic costs of action towards both mitigation and adaptation rather than the crosssectoral benefits of action or the costs of inaction, and this sentiment has presented a clear barrier to implementing the CAP and to introducing other climate policies and legislation within the state. In comparison to its neighboring states, New Hampshire lacks a robust and adequate state-level strategy for building climate resilience in the state. A lack of state leadership to implement the CAP or to introduce other robust policies and legislation to tackle the projected impacts of climate change has meant that municipalities and regional planning commissions are left to take the lead on local-scale climate adaptation efforts within the state. This has produced intra-state disparities between municipalities with different income, resource, and capacity levels, which raises equity concerns for communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In terms of mitigation efforts, while greenhouse gas emissions reductions are considered in the state’s energy policies, it is clear that the state government prioritizes the short-term economic costs and benefits in designing its energy strategy, and in its overall approach to addressing climate impacts.

This summary includes:

• Network Meeting Opportunities

• NH Network Working Group Meeting Notes

• Action Items

  • A new climate initiative opportunity (CHICKS)

  • Climate template letter to send your new or existing representatives.   

• Feeding Your Brain

• Useful Guide to Managing Network Emails

Network Meeting Opportunities

Monday, November 14th at  8 pm:  NH Network Steering Committee - All are welcome.  

Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87937492036?pwd=czF0VENoV2lJR2l3QzFMVEVNMjQ2QT09

Tuesday, November 15th at 5:30 pm:   NH Network Communications meeting

Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85853434890?pwd=TDgrbXJiQVhyMlB2T0JTTmpLbzlRZz09

Sunday, November 20th at 6pm:   Plastics Working Group Meeting

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09

NH Network Working Group Meeting Notes

NH Network Steering Committee  11/09: https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/76fQgyAzg

NH Network Plastics Working Group  11/06: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bNTXvjrLoK8hT6dsUyp4cxl1VvdMl7wpNujlZT4k0Yg/edit?usp=sharing

Action Items

1. Climate and Health Initiative for Children of Kearsarge & Sunapee (CHICKS)

After founding NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action last year, I am now focused on developing CHICKS, a novel community-level program to protect the physical and emotional health of young children in the face of climate change. In NH we are already seeing an impact of a warming climate on children’s health: increasing seasonal allergies, asthma, vector-borne diseases, food insecurity, heat stress, pregnancy outcomes, and climate anxiety. I hope you will support CHICKS in its formative stage as we continue to “hatch" our regional, grassroots and cross-sector model through listening sessions, community outreach and organizing, and building awareness of the impact of climate on young children.

Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director of The Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T. H Chan School of Public Health and Chair of the Council on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics, puts it this way:

“Each of us wants the best for every child in our lives. We want them to grow up in a world that enables them to live up to their full potential. Making our own neighborhoods and communities greener, transitioning to clean energy, eating healthier, and making walking and bicycling easier and safer all promote the health and welfare of our children today and give them a world they deserve. The actions we take as individuals and communities may seem small in the face of the climate crisis, but the best ideas to advance climate solutions all begin locally - in our homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, and local governments. With more communities engaged, the more hope we all can have for a healthier and more just world for our children. I look forward to following the progress of CHICKS and hope that many of you will as well.”

I hope you take a minute to add your name in support of our CHICKS community outreach model already underway in Kearsarge/Sunapee NH. Please forward this email widely to any contacts. Thank you for supporting our ongoing work in building community and closing the awareness gap on climate and children’s health, essential steps before we create meaningful programming for young children. 

Sincerely,

Bob Friedlander Jr. MD

2. NH Network member Pat Martin has opened communication with her newly elected representatives.  Her letter provides a model we all could use now, to build the relationships we need.  

Dear friends and Honorables,

Thank you for running to represent your neighbors in Rindge as well as Jaffrey and Dublin.  Congratulations to the winners.  In many cases it was a hard fought and close race.  There is so much on the line in these times, that I really hoped we would be electing climate champions who understand the connections between a warming planet, climate refugees, and the anxiety our children feel in the face of increasing violence and no serious effort underway to transition us to clean energy.

At the candidate's forum I know I heard John say that he always gets back to constituents on issues and legislation.  That has been my experience with him.  I might not always like the answer, but he affords me the consideration of responding.  Perhaps I don't have good email addresses for our other representatives?  Please let me know whether you received this email.  There's always the option of Letters to the Editor, of course. 

My plan for this year is to treat my elected representatives the way I would have treated the candidates I supported.  I am extremely concerned about the climate crisis that is facing us and will be tracking legislation as part of a group of scientists, engineers, former utility employees and legislators.  I hope I can count on my representatives to take my concerns seriously and lobby for or at least represent my perspective?  I've come to the conclusion that the planet can't wait for us to elect the right people, we have to get the people we elected to do the right thing.  We can only do that if we share the information and perspectives we have with those we've elected. 

My plan for the year is to be an active constituent and a resource to you if you need information about energy related legislation.  I planned to do that if my preferred candidates were elected, so please don't regard this as an attack on you at all.   If we hope to leave a livable planet for our children, we're going to have to learn to be adults and work together.

Thank you!

Pat Martin

Feeding Your Brain

A series of articles from Reinmar

-There are many interpretations of the outcome of these elections. Dan Gearino of Inside Climate News (a valuable source of info) points out that there are 4 states that newly find themselves in a position to take some serious steps on energy & climate. (Note that these 4 include MA, which was already relatively progressive despite the Republican governor.) Whether or not the voters were voting specifically on this issue, it is one of the upside outcomes.  —

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09112022/state-legislature-democratic-trifectas-massachusetts-maryland-michigan-minnesota/?utm_source=InsideClimate+News&utm_campaign=5a2c483ff9-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-5a2c483ff9-328336400

-Friends,

I am a member of a listserv called 'Electricity Brain Trust' which often has intriguing and cutting-edge accounts of developments in our ongoing, desultory transition to electric power, contributed by some of the most progressive voices in the business. 

In NH, we are still beating around the bushes of net metering, community power, cost shifting, etc. Here below is a nice illustration from Jim Lazar of why it is absurd to obstruct the evolution of community-based micro-grids in order to protect the utilities' bottom lines.  

"Today, we let a hotel with 200 condo-like units, say a Marriott Residence Inn or a Hometown Suites, connect to the utility as a commercial customer, through a single meter.  I often choose to stay in these, because I like having a kitchen in my unit.  If they install solar on the roof, that is netted against their single meter and they have a positive "take" from the utility.  They pay for power on a large commercial rate, with a demand charge and perhaps a demand ratchet.  They may install batteries (many have, for both backup and for demand charge management), and these shave the peak as measured at the single meter.

If an IDENTICAL building complex is built, but with individual ownership condo units, we compel that building to take service as 200 separate residential customers, plus a "house meter" for the common areas on a small commercial tariff.  This is a holdover from the PURPA "master metering" standard:  we wanted consumers to be responsible for the cost of their own usage (which we can easily submeter today).  If solar is installed, each small array must serve one of the 201 meters, and be subject to all the NEM or post-NEM rules and tariffs.  If batteries are installed, they either serve individual units or the house meter, but not both.  The complex is unable to derive the same benefit, in terms of economies of scale, scope, and diversity that the Residence Inn can achieve.

The solution, of course, is to allow/enable/encourage the second building to form as a microgrid (after all, they already own all the internal wiring, which, in the case of a Residence Inn, may spread over a 20-building campus).  Let them install a shared solar system including solar-shaded parking, a shared battery bank, and and a shared backup generator, just like the Residence Inn has.  Let them present themselves to the utility through a single meter.  Impose just one rule on them:  they cannot charge the individual residents more than the otherwise applicable residential utility tariff for service, plus a fee for the backup generator (a service the utility does not offer). 

Once we deal with this in the context of a physically identical complex:  condos vs. Residence Inn, we should be ready to take the next step:  allowing a subdivision, developed by a single developer, to install the electricity system as a microgrid with shared solar, shared batteries, shared backup, and presenting itself to the utility at a single point of delivery through a single meter.  In some states, like Washington, this is possible today, simply by forming an electric cooperative; my state has no territorial allocation for electric utilities, so the developer is free to do this. Under OATTs, the nearby investor-owned utility is obligated to interconnect and wheel to the coop.  [The state does provide competition protection for municipal utilities within their city boundaries.] 

The only barrier to this that I see is artificial restraint of trade, imposed to protect incumbent utilities.  I'd appreciate hearing from the microgrid experts on where there are successful transitions being made, and where the service rules prevent efficient solutions from emerging.

This goes beyond hypothetical. My local housing authority is purchasing a hotel with kitchen units, a former Extended-Stay America, to use as senior housing.  It is currently served by a master meter.  They have eligibility for both efficiency and solar funding from state and federal programs.  Their ability to take advantage of that solar funding may be dependent on being able to retain the single meter, so a single large solar system can be installed with economies of scale and scope. But strict application of the WUTC-approved tariffs for the current electric utility may force them to either separately meter the units, or bear the cost of forming an electric cooperative.  I doubt they are up for the requirements of the latter.

Written from an apartment hotel on the Oregon Coast with a single service connection (and free EV charging for guests, as long as you bring your own EVSE and can connect to a 14-50 outlet.)  Given the weather this week, a rooftop hydro reservoir and a turbine on the downspout might be a better choice than rooftop solar.

Useful Guide to Managing Network Emails From John Gage

Dear all,

There are 200+ people in this google group ("NH Environment, Energy and Climate Network" <nh-environment-energ...@googlegroups.com>).

On such a large list it's good practice to not 'reply-all' to the whole group when sending personal messages.  Of course, we all do it sometimes without thinking about it or realizing it, so while we try to avoid them, we can also enjoy the community connections of the nice emails that slip through.

If you are on this group to keep generally informed but not to participate in real-time, you may be interested to know that you have some personal control of the frequency of emails you receive as a member of a google group such as this one.

Instead of receiving individual emails as they are sent, you can receive a daily digest or a summary of emails if there are any.  To change what you get, go to the google group's web page.  You can get there using the link at the bottom of any group email.  Click on the link on the line that begins with:

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com...

From there, click on "My membership settings" on the bottom left, and change the "Subscription" setting from "Each email" to your preference.  The options are:

• Each email - Messages are sent individually as they’re posted to the group.

• Digest - Up to 25 complete messages are combined into single emails and sent daily.

• Abridged - Summaries of up to 150 messages are combined into single emails and sent daily.

• No email - Messages from the group are not sent.

And to unsubscribe from any google group such as this one, scroll down to the bottom of any email you received from the group to find the 'unsubscribe' email address.  For example:

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to nh-environment-energy-and-...@googlegroups.com.

Click on that email address link, then send the email (you don't need to write anything in it) and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Elections, an important Network 10/26 webinar, opportunities and updates.  

Energy talking points

Please see the attachment in Susan’s initial email.  Invaluable info for canvassing and LTEs.

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/vFAHQCcyoJ8

Action and meeting opportunities

• October 15, 2:00 pm  “Green” canvass to support candidates that share environmental, climate and clean energy values.   

NHDP HQ – 105 North State Street, Concord 

Register Here:  https://www.mobilize.us/organizenh/event/527364/ 

• October 23, 6:00 pm   Plastics Working Group - details below

• October 26, 5:30 pm   NH Network forum:  Why are NH’s Energy Bill So High (and what we can do about it?)   Panel discussion featuring Sam Evans-Brown (Executive Director Clean Energy NH) and Donald Kreis (NH Consumer Advocate)

  REGISTER  HERE

• October 27 6:30 to 8:30 pm  CHARGE ME UP! AN INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS.   This Forum will occur VIA ZOOM.

Before you own an electric vehicle, it is important to know all about charging one.

Learn about basic information on Electric Vehicles (EV's), the EV charging landscape in NH, EV charger Incentives offered by NHEC for their customers, installing an EV charger in your home.

PLEASE REGISTER for this Forum in advance.

Plastics Working Group update

Here is the link to the notes from tonight's Plastics Work Group meeting. Again, this group is accomplishing great things - be sure to check it out!

Our next meeting will be on Sunday, October 23, 6 pm. Everyone is welcome!

ZOOM LINK (same every time)

Feed your brain

“NH Solid Waste Plan Update Does Not Satisfy DES Skeptics” (featuring comments from Jon Swan)

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/Ix6Cs-mhAT8

The following towns are in process or have adopted community power plans!

Cheshire County, Enfield, Exeter, Hanover, Harrisville, Keene, Lebanon, Marlborough,  Nashua, Nelson, Plainfield, Peterborough, Rye, Swanzey, Walpole, Wilton and others!

Network nominations, a plastics group luncheon invitation (!), meeting/ legislative opportunities and worthwhile reads are on the agenda.   (You are well served to take some minutes to read the Feed Your Brain articles.)

• Local and midterm elections are in five weeks.  Hopefully, each of us can find some time or resources to support the candidates.

• Nominations for manager’s at large are due by October 9th.  Please complete the attached google form.   (If this does not work then go to your 10/2 email to find the original message)

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/qL3lY8qdPvc

Meetings/legislative opportunities

• Monday, October 3rd    Steering committee 

Time: Oct 3, 2022 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87404941239?pwd=ZnFCd003cEV4OG1ySXlROFpJemtydz09

Meeting ID: 874 0494 1239

Passcode: 934292

• Thursday, October 6th at 10:30 am   There is to be a hearing on HB1111, "establishing a commission to study extended producer responsibility", on Thursday, Oct. 6th at 10:30AM, in LOB 301-303.   (There is no opportunity for public testimony as this is a sub committee report.

HB1111 Bill Info: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=1654&inflect=2

• Plastics working group and luncheon invitation.  (Seek to watch all or the first 15 minutes of the recording  for many manageable action plans for individuals.)

Here are the notes from the 9.25 meeting of the Plastics Working Group - continually amazed at all the activities volunteers are involved in around New Hampshire to reduce plastic waste and pollution.

And here is a partial recording of the excellent presentation by Christina Dubin (Beyond Plastics) and Dan Xie (SPIRG) and the Q & A. It will be available through Friday, October 14.

YELP is now sharing restaurants that are being sustainable.  Interested, watch the first minutes of this recording.

Finally, a reminder to RSVP to the Plastics Working Group One Year Celebration Gathering:

You’re invited to join fellow NH Network Plastics Working Group members & Ten Towns, Ten Actions volunteers for an informal ZERO WASTE potluck celebration of our successful first year of taking action to reduce plastic waste and pollution in our communities. Guests are welcome. Please bring your own reusable plates, napkins, mugs & utensils along with something delicious to share with the group.

Special thanks to Carol Sullivan, Kristine Baber, and Christina Dubin for planning this event!

DATE: Saturday, October 15, Rain or Shine

TIME: 9 am - 11 am, brief remarks at 10 am

LOCATION: Shannon Pond Pavilions, Castle in the Clouds, Moultonborough, NH

WHAT TO BRING: A breakfast/brunch dish to share - we expect between 10-20 people

Please RSVP here.

Feeding your brain

• Important editorial from Rep. Rebecca Williams on high energy costs

https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/rep-rebecca-mcwilliams-high-energy-prices-are-cost-of-gop-intransigence/article_9fc723d3-3d1b-54e5-85c5-bebf135fad07.html

• If you are lucky enough to receive the Concord Monitor then you are a fan of David Brooks.  If you do not subscribe, consider this link to his many articles.  His recent article on solar energy and net metering should resolve the debate, and these estimates are reached before the price jumps.

Here is webpage you may want to save and follow. You can find various articles related to environment, Energy or Climate written by Granite Geek David Brooks, just click on https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/. These articles are also found in the Concord Monitor.

Some examples are:

Study: Rooftop solar helps the grid a lot, shifts costs a little by David Brooks | Sep 29, 2022

Solar & energy efficiency will = 2.4 Seabrook Stations by David Brooks | Sep 27, 2022

Can forests store carbon and still be – well, forests? by David Brooks | Sep 20, 2022

• Hopeful goals from the NH DES. If you provided comments you have likely received the same email. The 8 goals of the plan are as follows:

1. Reduce the quantity of solid waste generated.

2. Reduce the toxicity of the solid waste stream.

3. Maximize the diversion of residential, commercial and industrial solid waste from disposal.

4. Ensure adequate capacity for management of New Hampshire-generated waste.

5. Develop local markets for waste diversion.

6. Encourage solid waste infrastructure and practices that support State and Federal climate change initiatives.

7. Ensure that solid waste policies and regulations support State and Federal environmental justice initiatives.

8. Ensure sustainable funding source(s) to support solid waste management initiatives.

• Opinion: Take control of electric bills   (The controversy, as articulated on our thread,

 is not with this policy, but the difficulty of accessing and acting upon this option for families who are not tech savvy.)

By PETER SOMSSICH     in the Concord Monitor

State Rep. Peter Somssich is a member of the Science Technology & Energy Committee.

Most New Hampshire residents have seen their electricity bills increase dramatically within the last month. It is frustrating, and everyone is looking for someone to blame.

Some recent opinions blame our utility companies for gouging us and charging outrageous rates. However, as our Consumer Advocate Don Kreis explained in numerous pieces, this is not true.

Here in New Hampshire our utilities are regulated by law and are not allowed to profit from the sale of electricity to customers. They make their profits from the distribution charges and other services (not supply charges for electricity). In fact, it is the oil and gas companies and the fossil fuel processors that are most likely overcharging for their products, because they can charge whatever they can get.

With the global fuel crisis and the war in Ukraine driving up the demand and the price of natural gas, they sell at the highest price, whether in the U.S., Europe or Asia. So, what can residents in New Hampshire do? We have the power to purchase electricity from third party suppliers, and it is not complicated. In fact, more than 80% of New Hampshire businesses are already doing this, resulting in lower rates, stable contracts and even buying 100% renewable electricity, instead of only the 12.9% contained in the utility’s offering.

For the last six years, I have been purchasing 100% renewable energy from a third party supplier. Once I signed the contract for my two meters for one to two years, I continued to pay my monthly bill, including the supply charge, which went to my third party supplier.

Interested? Go to the NH Public Utilities (PUC) website. From the top tabs select ‘consumer’ then ‘choose an energy supplier, and then ‘comparison.’ You’ll see a list. The second column describes the kind of energy, while the third column gives you the rate, the term of the contract 6 to 27 months, and finally the first column provides the name of the company, a phone number and a ‘sign-up’ button.

If you need any assistance, contact the Office of the Consumer Advocate, who assures me that they are eager to help. Do this soon, because rates offered are constantly changing. Yes, the rate may be only 2-3 cents per kWh cheaper (a $22. saving), however, it is locked in. And if you always wanted 100% renewables you can get that too.

-It is election season, and the Network is creating a talking points handout for canvassing and/or “bird dogging” candidates.   The current talking points form can be found at the link below and answered the important question, “Why Are My energy Costs so High?”

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mYVF0ONwmrMhRte4TARAmpU8iKCZMx7T/edit

-An update to override the Governor’s veto on HB 1454  (landfill setbacks.)

-Many worthwhile and informative articles offered below concerning Advanced Recycling (AR) in NH,  how NH policies have lead to higher energy costs, NH republican legislators embracing climate change policies, transactive energy policies for the present and the future.

-From Reinmar:  A large survey (over 6000 respondents) shows that in the US we almost universally depreciate the extent to which our fellow Americans support action on climate change -- including major policies such as carbon fees, renewable energy mandates, and a Green New Deal. 

       Too often, we falsely assume we are a minority, or even isolated individuals fighting a desperate losing battle against the social current.

       I have no doubt that this misconception is largely the result of our broken, fractured and hijacked media landscape. 

       We are not a minority. We are the majority, dealing with a small but powerful coterie of vested interests and a willfully ignorant and self-serving political class. We must demand a lot more from our representatives -- starting with the idea that they must have the courage to represent us on this most crucial of issues.

Meetings:

September 20  7 pm  Legislative Working Group  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6037307148

Meeting ID: 603 730 7148

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,6037307148# US (Chicago)

+16465588656,,6037307148# US (New York)

Radically Rural  

September 21st and 22nd 

Hybrid (In Person in Keene, NH and virtually) 

Radically Rural builds powerful networks of passionate, engaged, and innovative people willing to share ideas and resources and take action to strengthen their rural communities across the country. 

Info and registration here:  Radically Rural - Rural Communities Network 

The Radically Rural 2022 Keynote Speaker is Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin, a dedicated climate activist and environmental leader.  Here is her bio:  Chloe Maxmin - Maine Senate Democrats 

Radically Rural Clean Energy Track Sessions 

The League of Conservation Voters is the clean energy track leader for Radically Rural 2022. 

Session 1:  Clean Energy Infrastructure – Opportunities to Impact Climate Change and Build a Clean Energy Economy 

September 21st, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, Keene Public Library, Cohen Hall, 60 Winter Street 

The Bi-Partisan infrastructure bill includes a variety of provisions to support the development of clean energy infrastructure, including electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and electric school buses for school districts among many other clean energy initiatives.  This session will provide information on how federal funds to support these initiatives will flow to the states and the processes to obtain funding.  

Session 2:  Climate Activism: Engaging Rural Activists  

September 21st 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Keene Public Library, Heberton Hall, 60 Winter Street 

As the impacts of climate change become apparent throughout rural life, now more than ever, it is time to act. In the past few years, youth climate activists have garnered worldwide attention for their commitment to our plant and our future. This panel will spotlight youth activists engaging rural communities. ECLC: About - Emerging Climate Leaders Collaborative 

Session 3:  Natural Climate Solutions and Climate Action  

September 22nd, 2:00 – 3:30 PM, Keene Public Library, Cohen Hall, 60 Winter Street 

As Congress prepares to reauthorize the federal farm bill in 2023 (the farm bill is reauthorized on a five-year cycle), opportunities to encourage and support local agriculture production and natural climate solutions abound.  This session will examine various programs and initiatives that will be considered by Congress and the implications for building a more resilient agricultural sector and a clean energy economy.  In addition, the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) contains significant policy opportunities for the agricultural sector to contribute to climate and clean energy solutions. 

Legislative/Environmental actions:  HB 1454

Hundreds of Granite Staters turned out on Sept. 15 to watch the NH House of Representatives override the Governor’s veto of HB1454 by a staggering bipartisan margin.

Special thanks to the legislators and citizens who addressed the crowd at the State House rally with clarity and passion—and to GOP Representatives Walter Stapleton, Matt Simon and Betty Gay who spoke for the bill on the House floor. The House’s 256-65 vote to override the veto says it all!

The vote came up short in the Senate, disappointing thousands of supporters who believe that protecting New Hampshire waters from landfill contamination is of critical importance. There is no doubt, “We’ll be back!"

“This is a bill that has enormous support around the state, it’s a bipartisan bill; This is a statewide issue,” said Rep. Edith Tucker, the bill’s prime author.

One day later, Rep. Megan Murray re-filed the setback legislation to be considered in the coming session, stating,

“NOTHING is more important than protecting the resources that our communities thrive on. Despite the setback legislation not making it this time, there remains a steadfast commitment to getting this work done on behalf of the people of New Hampshire. The presence of PFAS and other groundwater toxins is a concern Granite Staters in every community share, and we are listening."

Informative Reads:

-From Reinmar:  Here are people in our state -- some of them in influential positions -- who insist that renewable energies represent a risky investment, or worse. They whimper that because of our harsh winters, we must continue to import ever more gas and continue to build out the associated infrastructure. 

Attached please find some new research that shows (once again) that a swift transition to renewable energies is not only good for our planet, but is also likely to be good for our bank accounts. 

The research article by Rupert Way is pretty heavy reading for lay-persons, but the summary in the BBC piece by Jonah Fisher is adequate. 

Here are two choice sentences from the original article: "We want to emphasize that our results indicate that a rapid green energy transition is likely to be beneficial, even if climate change were not a problem. When climate change is taken into account, the benefits of the Fast Transition become overwhelming."

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/peD5PazmOGw

-Commentary: New Hampshire’s 1970s-era energy policy is costing Granite Staters

by Jameson French and Gary Hirshberg

https://www.fosters.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/09/16/commentary-nh-energy-policy-sununu/10382794002/

-NH Electric Cooperative and a pilot project to make transactive energy work in NH to make our electric grids more efficient, utilize the electric storage capacity of EVs and battery storage to support our distribution system and save money for electric consumers.   This is the future.

Regards,

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/jkwasnik25%40gmail.com/FMfcgzGqQSTcwhGFkFTmgNmdPldbcWhV?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

-AR recycling:  Petition and State response  https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/rcUfxZHeBhU

AN EXCERPT:

So-called “advanced recycling,” or “AR,” poses a serious threat to environmental and human health – particularly in historically marginalized communities experiencing disproportionate pollution and public health burdens – as AR facilities emit toxic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, and heavy metals, as well as particulate matter and greenhouse gases. 

Unlike New Hampshire, no other state in New England exempted AR from existing laws or regulations (both Connecticut and Rhode Island have specifically rejected such attempts). As a result, it is reasonably foreseeable that New Hampshire will become a magnet both for AR activities and for out-of-state plastic waste to fuel such activities. Considering the dangerous pollutants associated with AR facilities – and given that New Hampshire’s regulatory scheme may allow them to avoid technology controls and/or to obtain permits that do not ensure compliance with applicable legal standards – the Department should engage in rulemaking to ensure that New Hampshire’s communities and environment will be adequately protected. 

-Some republican candidates are considering the impact of climate change

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/09/13/growing-number-of-republican-candidates-express-openness-to-climate-action/

• Always a lot to do.  Most immediate is the proposal of Lizzie Station (railroad hotel cars!) just below Mount Washington’s Summit.  Comments are due by 8/31.  Please note a funded impact study has not been enacted since 1970.

• Great update from Susan Richman for election action opportunities.  See below.

• Important action opportunities on plastics.  See below

• Meeting and action opportunities abound.

Mt. Washington Commission actions (Thank you Jon Swan) 

The Commission will accept written comments from citizens until August 31.  Send comments to: mtwashingtoncomments@dncr.nh.gov.   If you have problems with this email address then call (603) 271-2976.

Or mail your comments to:  Master Plan Comments, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH 03301.

Some suggestions on content:

• Express your opposition to the Lizzie Bourne Station proposed development.  This should be included in every comment!

• Demand that the MWC conduct a thorough, independent, Environmental and Climate Assessment (E&CA) of the Summit Region and the entirety of Mt. Washington.

• Demand that there be a complete moratorium on any future expansion, development or construction of any kind until the completion of the E&C Assessment and the subsequent Master Plan. 

• Reject the July 5, 2022 Draft Master Plan in its entirety and demand that no MWC Master Plan be written before a credible Environmental and Climate Assessment has been completed

Jamie Sayen has compiled an “annotated” response to the most troubling elements of the July 5 Master Plan Draft.  You can access it here for more talking points: https://nhconservation.org/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=mw:master_plan_annotated_july_5_draft.pdf

Excellent Read

Op-Ed: Cog Railway Proposes Railroad Hotel Near Congested Mt. Washington Summit - InDepthNH.orgInDepthNH.org

Important and timely emails from the Network.  Thank you to Susan Richman for organizing these opportunities into a single email.

Election News from the NH Network              

The Network Steering Committee has been meeting to determine how we can help ensure election outcomes that are good for NH’s Environment/Energy/Climate, and we are sharing ideas with leaders of other NH E/E/C groups.  Given our nonpartisan status, below are today’s recommendations on how we can EDUCATE VOTERS about the environmental issues at stake.

• Call to Action

NH has a high number of citizens who identify as environmentally concerned, but who do not regularly vote.  Data-driven Environmental Voter Project  has phone banks scheduled for Aug 30 and dates in Sept.  Learn more & SIGN UP at https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/encourage-environmental-voters

• Bird-dogging   

Attend candidate or party election events, for BOTH parties, and ask E/E/C questions.  You will educate those in the audience, and perhaps the candidates as well.  (e.g.  How can we get NH to protect NH Saves and increase energy efficiency in our state?  What can you do to get NH to create a plan to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels?  How can you ensure NH decreases plastic pollution?  How can we make sure our town/NH gets federal IRA money for our energy projects?)  Look on your County’s party website or your Town’s Community Facebook page to find events!

• Canvassing has begun!  

Check your county’s party offices – Cheshire and Carroll counties are already canvassing.

Kent Street Coalition is now canvassing in communities near Concord.  You are welcome to contact Mary Wilke, wilke...@gmail.com

Much of the pre-primary effort is targeted at folks who vote infrequently, helping them understand how voting protects their interests and making sure they have a voting plan – when, how, and where they will vote, and the documentation they will need. 

• Concerned about the power of Free-Staters?  

Help Granite State Matters send postcards outing Free-Staters to their constituents.  https://granitestatematters.org/radical-awareness/

• Have you written any letters about E/E/C matters? 

(solid waste, electric vehicles, 10-year energy plan, renewable portfolio standards…)   Take a few minutes more to turn that letter into a Letter to the Editor (LTE), educating NH citizens on the issues they may not realize are affecting their energy bills, their local taxes, and our collective future. Great tips on LTE writing are at https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/resources/writing-tools

• The NH Network is launching an Election Sub-Group on Sept 6 at 5:30 pm!   

If you wish to join this Sub-Group to help elect NH candidates who will support the legislation needed for a sustainable planet, please complete this survey and return ASAP.   You may share with other members.

Click here to complete the survey for our Election Sub-Group.

Action Opportunities

• Taking action on single use plastic, and a petition and/or letter to the federal government.

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/TmTj5O1zQEA

• Draft and comment on NH Solid Waste Plan

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/O_sooNJxE_M

• August 27 Windsor VT.   "Are you concerned about the climate crisis and interested in strengthening our community? Local families are invited to join Families Rise Up on Saturday August 27th from 10:00AM to 12:00PM on the South Royalton Green for a low pressure playgroup to connect with other parents, share ideas, and learn how we can take action together while our kids play.

Tea, snacks, bubbles, art, fun, and climate action. Childcare support provided. All families are welcome. RSVP at https://350vt.nationbuilder.com/families_rise_up_climate_playgroup_royalton "

• October 1 from 9 am to 3 pm   NH Energy Expo in Dunbarton to explore energy saving opportunities for one’s home.

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/29pmuYb953A

Meetings

• August 22 5:30 pm learn to write letter to the editors, Concord Public Library: Concord Monitor Opinion Writing Workshop

Want to hone your skills with LTEs and opinion pieces? Check out this in-person workshop, run by the writers at the Concord Monitor: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/my-turn-opinion-writing-workshop-tickets-388180878457

• August 30 7 pm  Network legislative group.  Zoom link sent this upcoming weekend.

• August 30th phone bank to energize environmental voters (more info on our webpage)

https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/encourage-environmental-voters

• September 6 5:30 pm  Network subgroup to work on the upcoming election.

• September 15th in Concord at  Overturn the governor’s veto of HB 1454.  (From Jon Swan and Save Lake Forest action group)  Meet at 11 am as senators and reps will arriving from this time to 1 pm

We could really use your help.  Could you please sign and SHARE w/fellow members, supporters, friends, & family our petition, linked below, which will be sent to NH House and Senate members, urging them to overturn the veto of HB1454?  We'd also love it if you could JOIN US for our "Rally at the Capitol" in Concord on September 15th, veto override day! 

"We, the undersigned residents of New Hampshire, ask that you, our legislators, vote to overturn Governor Sununu's veto of HB1454 to ensure that our state protects our precious waters—for safe drinking and recreation, for public and environmental health."

HB1454 Petition:  https://bit.ly/HB1454Petition

"Override The Veto Of HB1454 Rally At The Capitol" Thursday September 15, 2022 Video:

https://youtu.be/TWHnIRR2m4A

It has been a while and there is a lot going on.  Here are the highlights. 

Reconciliation Bill

Obviously, the Reconciliation Bill including 300 billion for climate change is a step forward.  Reinmar Seidler offers a link of a four-page summation.  

Summary of the Energy Security and Climate Change Investments in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

Although we are a local action initiative, here is a global action update from one of our members, Rob Cissel.

My company is rolling out a corporate planning framework to help us achieve audacious goals- I'm co-leading the effort.  The approach is called OKRs-- Objectives and Key Results.   The Program is based on concepts Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, developed during his tenure there, and that one of his disciples, John Doerr, an Intel alum turned very successful investor at Venture Capital firm, Kleiner Perkins, has been promoting quite extensively for years with anyone who will listen.  Those that listened include Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin, who acted on his recommendations 20+ yrs ago and have been using these methods ever since. John wrote a book about the approach called Measure What Matters (www.whatmatters.com), which we've had our entire management team read.  

I mention this because, there is an initiative that John and a few others have started that applies this method to solving our Climate problem.  The initiative is called Speed and Scale (www.speedandscale.com). There is an accompanying book which I have not yet read, but plan to.  As their web site declares.... This is an "Action Plan for solving our Climate Crisis Now".  

 My thinking is, all states could take this approach down to the State level, and use it as a guideline to aligning grass roots efforts, and focusing on the most important things in each respective state given the current situation at the state level.   A good place to start is Objective 7.0: Win Politics and Policy, and the 5 key results that will drive Political and Policy wins necessary to achieve global climate goals.  But, looking at the bigger picture (all 10 objectives) I believe sheds a broader light on the scale of what's necessary to truly achieve the ultimate in audacious goals.  

[This is] one more idea on this topic, but this one seems to make quite a bit of sense, and provides some order to an approach that literally millions of people are actively engaged in (both as professionals and as volunteer activists).  

 Overview

• Meetings

• Action Items

• Forum Opportunities

• Informational Updates

• Donation “thank you"

Meetings

August 7 at 1 pm.  Although we are non-partisan, as we receive info on state elections then we will pass them along.  For example, The Upper Valley Democratic Campaign Headquarters is holding a "Grand Opening" (3 Atwood Place, West Lebanon NH)!  Tom Sherman - Democratic gubernatorial candidate - will be joining us for this special event.

August 9th at 7pm  is the next  NH Network Legislation Work Group meeting.   We will use that call to explore these areas of interest and others and determine the next steps and areas of focus as we close in on September and LSR filing dates (at least for the House).  (Details listed below and see Joe Kwansnik August 2nd email to follow the thread.)

August 14th at 6pm is the next NH Network Plastics Working Group Meeting. They had a very successful Plastics Free July. Take a look!

August 24th at 7:00pm is the next NH CCL meeting on zoom: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09

Action Items

August 11th 6pm Natural Climate Solutions and Climate Action 

Emery Farm   147 Piscataqua Road, Durham, NH   (Details listed below)

August 22 5:30 pm learn to write letter to the editors, Concord Public Library: Concord Monitor Opinion Writing Workshop

Want to hone your skills with LTEs and opinion pieces? Check out this in-person workshop, run by the writers at the Concord Monitor: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/my-turn-opinion-writing-workshop-tickets-388180878457

August 30th phone bank to energize environmental voters (more info on our webpage) https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/encourage-environmental-voters

September 15th in Concord at  Overturn the governor’s veto of HB 1454.  (From Jon Swan and Save Lake Forest action group)  Meet at 11 am as senators and reps will arriving from this time to 1 pm

We could really use your help.  Could you please sign and SHARE w/fellow members, supporters, friends, & family our petition, linked below, which will be sent to NH House and Senate members, urging them to overturn the veto of HB1454?  We'd also love it if you could JOIN US for our "Rally at the Capitol" in Concord on September 15th, veto override day! 

"We, the undersigned residents of New Hampshire, ask that you, our legislators, vote to overturn Governor Sununu's veto of HB1454 to ensure that our state protects our precious waters—for safe drinking and recreation, for public and environmental health."

HB1454 Petition:  https://bit.ly/HB1454Petition

"Override The Veto Of HB1454 Rally At The Capitol" Thursday September 15, 2022 Video:

https://youtu.be/TWHnIRR2m4A

Forum Opportunities

Thursday, August 11th 6pm Natural Climate Solutions and Climate Action 

Emery Farm   147 Piscataqua Road, Durham, NH 

As Congress prepares to reauthorize the federal farm bill in 2023 (the farm bill is reauthorized on a five year cycle), opportunities to encourage and support local agriculture production and natural climate solutions abound.  This session will examine various programs and initiatives that will be considered by Congress and the implications for building a more resilient agricultural sector and a clean energy economy, including the climate and clean energy provisions in the recently announced Inflation Reduction Act. 

RSVP and Sign up here:  Speaker Series Sign-up (google.com) 

Informational Updates

From Cindy Heath Plastics WG:

 The 10 steps toward ZERO waste seem practical and doable to me, and focus on what we can actually do to change our waste and consumption practices individually and institutionally.

The 10 steps are listed succinctly on page 7, and explained in further detail beginning on page 22. Some require lots of time and effort, plus funding, but one wonders what it would be like if we in New Hampshire focused on achieving just one of these actions?

Trash in America: Moving from Destructive Consumption to a Zero-Waste System

From Joe Kwasnik:

Dear NH Legislators and NHN Members

As we move through this summer and anticipate the Fall season with upcoming mid-term elections and the startup preparations for the next Legislative Session, the New Hampshire Network is reaching out to you to solicit your input on how the Network can be most effective in working with you our Legislators either in crafting legislation or providing our support for legislation developed by you and others.

Some of the areas in which we are interested in discussing and potentially in developing as Legislative Service Requests (LSRs) include:

• Legislatively driven carbon reduction targets for NH especially given the recent SCOTUS decision in West Virginia vs USEPA

• Legislatively driven changes in the energy efficiency programs in NH (NH Saves) including increasing EE targets to at least 5% and language on annual and lifetime EE targets which permit utilization of SBC monies irrespective of energy sources (electric versus other fuel sources).

• Legislatively driven changes in the net metering program such as increasing net metering caps for non-community power sources from 1 to 5 MW capacity. 

• Legislatively driven strategic changes to our electric distribution system including adoption of transactive electric distribution systems, investment in smart meters, innovative rate structures to support EV's and other electrotechnologies and accelerating the development of distribution system operators.

These areas of interest are likely just  a small sampling of larger ambitions that we should explore and I encourage other ideas to be suggested and vetted.

I would like to invite you all to participate in a Zoom enabled call on Tuesday, August 9th at 7pm which is our usual NHN Legislation Work Group meeting.   We will use that call to explore these areas of interest and others and determine the next steps and areas of focus as we close in on September and LSR filing dates (at least for the House).

Please feel free to email me or contact me if you have any additional thoughts of the direction we should take in this effort.   I anticipate issuing an Agenda for the August 9th meeting by the end of this week along with a Zoom invitation. 

From Don Kreis Office of the Consumer Advocate

On a brighter note, yesterday the PUC unanimously approved its Community Power Aggregation rules.  I think they provide a workable framework for interested municipalities, and in particular the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire, to launch their programs at long last.  (It only took three years from the Governor signing the legislation to the PUC adopting final rules.) 

Especially noteworthy was this statement from Commissioner Carlton Simpson of the PUC, which I transcribed verbatim:

“These are landmark rules. . . . Most New Hampshire customers remain on default service today, therefore purchasing electricity supply from their distribution utility. Promulgation of these rules I believe will transform the state’s electricity supply market by enabling communities to select their supplier and resource mix directly.  The community aggregation model has been successful in other jurisdictions by returning such decision-making to local control so the citizens of every new Hampshire community have a voice to directly express what they want as an electricity customer.  Furthermore I believe these rules provide a pathway to enable a truly transactive retail electricity market in New Hampshire. The daft rules before us today will advance new Hampshire ‘s retail electricity market in a way that is cost-effective and reflects a balanced approach to the energy transformation.”

It has been a long time since I have heard a member of the PUC make a public statement that is as favorable to ratepayers, as future-oriented, and – frankly – as progressive.  Calling for a “transactive retail electricity market” is (to paraphrase Joe Biden’s famous remark when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act) a big deal.  As an aside, Carlton Simpson came to the PUC directly from Unitil, and so I would urge those of you who believe utility employees can never become vigilant and effective utility regulators to reconsider that opinion.  I don’t know what Commissioner Simpson’s personal politics are – I’m guessing he leans Republican – but in my view his statement is an articulation of a kind of energy policy that resonates across the partisan spectrum.  We need more of that.

Donate "thank you" (From Rob Werner and the League of Conservation Voters)

Good morning, NH Network folks

A note of appreciation and thanks for supporting Responsible Environmental Protection for New Hampshire (REP-NH) with your recent contributions.  You've helped make it possible for REP-NH to gather the financial resources to support environmental champions running for state office in New Hampshire this fall.  

If you wish to continue to support REP-NH or have not done so yet, here is the contribution Information:

You can contribute to REP-NH in one of two ways: 

• Make a secure on-line donation via this link: Responsible Environmental Protection for New Hampshire — Donate via ActBlue 

• Send a check to REP-NH, PO BOX 1017, Concord, NH 03302 

Although the legislative session has ended there is a lot to share.  First, please join us for the second annual summit on June 18th as we review accomplishments for the year and goals for the future. It is an information packed session highlighting work from organizations across the state.   Two, running for office or canvassing for candidates are the two most important actions one can take.  Kent Street Coalition can provide information/training  for both opportunities.  If interested, contact me or Louise Spence (lpskentstreet@gmail.com) for more information.  (There is a canvas opportunity in Salisbury this Saturday at 9 am which includes supporting our own Ken Wells.)  Three, listed below are is a bevy of information.  Please pick what is most important for you.

Overview

• NH Network Virtual Summit Meeting June 18th from 9:00 am to 11:30 am Meeting Details

• Save Forest Lake - Victory Email

• Department of Energy Report - urgent need to reform utility regulation

• Plastics Free July

• BIA Citizen Input Forums (starting today in Concord)

• Information Request from NH350

• Grant Writing Request Help

• Forum on Heat Pumps

VIRTUAL Summit Meeting June 18th from 9 am to 11 30 am

The NH Network has just over 200 members with a focus on linking citizens statewide to share information and implement actions for a sustainable New Hampshire. 

Since December 2021 the NH Network has been providing monthly events featuring topics members have expressed an interest in. These events have been very popular and well received. Recordings of these events are available on our website.

The NH Network has planned our 2nd Annual Summit for June 18th, which citizens will find informative and useful. We are hoping to get feedback to help with linking more NH groups and citizens, and with planning more events. Please share this information with your group and others that may be interested. If you have any ideas for our next round of events beginning in the fall, or even something relevant that you may want to share, please let us know.

If you have any other suggestions on who to share this Summit information with, please let us know, and/or give them our information.  It is very inspiring to see the great work and enthusiasm shown by so many of the diverse groups around New Hampshire. Thank you for all your efforts.

Go to the website's events page to register.

Save Forest Lake Victory (from Jon Swan)

Casella to NHDES, WITHDRAWING ALL permit applications!  Let's hope they've seen the light and realize that there simply is no way they are going to get a landfill next to Forest Lake!  Do the happy dance, this is a HUGE VICTORY for us!  

What's next?  We still need Governor Sununu to do the right thing and sign HB1454 (call him at 603-271-7676) especially now that there are NO PENDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS, thus there is no "moving the goalposts" on a pending, existing project.  It's dead, for now anyway.  This is exactly why Dalton needs to vote in zoning next Tuesday, too.  Casella could try to come back from the dead, or, another dangerous, industrial project could be heading our way if there is no zoning in Dalton.  Let's protect Dalton so as to ensure THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!  Vote YES on zoning!

Celebrate, this is a HUGE victory for us!  Keep in mind, too, Casella typically states "we'll be resubmitting, filing, etc." following such defeats (see wetlands permit application withdrawal as an example).  They may be back, but the clock is ticking on them and they have proven to be a very lazy company.  I feel their plan B is another go at Bethlehem, again.  Poor Bethlehem, let's be there for them, let's have their back and send a strong message to Concord that the North Country is not a sacrifice zone and that Bethlehem no longer wants to be home to unneeded, unwanted out-of-state trash!  

Department of Energy Report

The US Dept of Energy has just released a report underlining how the regulatory system around utilities needs to change urgently, in order to drive the necessary transition forward. We must redouble our efforts to put pressure on state legislatures and agencies to pay attention to this. 

Here is a summary of the report:

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/dramatic-shift-in-utility-regulations-better-pilot-designs-needed-to-pro/623780/

Plastics Free July

To get the word out about the Plastic Free July Challenge, the Plastics Working Group's latest collective action, we're hoping each Ten Towns Leader (We have 31 leaders now!) will share one or both of the promotional pieces below (links for a letter to the editor and a press release) with your local print, radio, TV, listserve and social media contacts.

To help with this, the NH Network Communications Working Group has created a master spreadsheet of media contacts we can use. If you use this list, please put your initials next to the media outlet you are sending the promotion to.

You can access the media list here.

Here is a link to a template for a letter to the editor you can modify to include actions going on in your region around Plastic Free July.

And another link to Patsy's excellent press release for your use.

We hope you'll help spread the word to raise awareness of this important issue.

Please reach out if you have any questions - we'd love to know whether you were able to help out. If there are any additions to the list, please let us know.

Many thanks for being part of the Ten Towns, Ten Actions campaign.

To see the 31 towns and related actions that have been taken, check out the TTTA website at this link.

Plastics WG Minutes 

Here is the link to the June 5th meeting.  Summary and action items are included.  All are welcome to attend the bi-monthly meetings

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mzipfJfNZm77_CQa4V3FTNVHV9i8DvyBnWhzP9_dyi4/edit

BIA Citizen Input Forums

BIA meeting opportunities for citizen input to shape the organization's public policy agenda

10 meetings to be held in June across New Hampshire

The Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire is holding roundtable talks throughout June that it says will help shape its 2023 public policy priorities.

The roundtable schedule:

• Greater Concord: Tuesday, June 7, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Lakes Region: Tuesday, June 7, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

• White Mountains: Wednesday, June 8, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Upper Valley: Thursday, June 9, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Salem, Derry and Londonderry: Tuesday, June 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Seacoast: Tuesday, June 14, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

• Nashua, Hudson and Merrimack-Souhegan: Wednesday, June 15, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Greater Keene and Peterborough: Wednesday, June 15, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

• Greater Manchester: Tuesday, June 21, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

• Rochester, Dover and Somersworth: Tuesday, June 21, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Registration is required, but there’s no charge or fee to participate. For more information, visit bia.com.

Information Request from NH 350

Hi folks!

350NH Action has been doing a lot of opposition work on legislators who are climate deniers or who are blocking climate legislation. I remember this network was chatting about doing something similar? Would love any resources or support anyone has. We will be using this research for a big accountability program. Any Sununu climate resources are also always welcome. 

Our big contenders right now Michael Vose, Mike Harrington, Doug Thomas, Fred Plett and Jeanine Notter. If you have any contenders for our second round please let me know!

--

Emma Shapiro-Weiss

She Her Hers

350NH Co Executive Director

Grant Writing Request 

Dear NH Network folks,

I hope to write some small grants to fund a Better Bag project to put more cloth bags into more hands, especially low income folks, e.g., at food banks across NH. 

(We still see plastic used too much, aye?)

My questions:

1. Is NH Network a 501 C3 group?  - Answer= No

a. If so,  what would it take to have this group be the recipient of grant money to buy cloth bags, for example?

b. If not,  can you suggest a 501C3 that might be a grant partner for a project like mine?

2. Is anyone else in NH Network working on grant writing?

a. If so, please send me their contact info.

b. If not, does anyone know a person who is/has been writing small grants in NH? 

Many thanks,

Cynthia Walter

Heat Pump Forum

How do heat pumps compare to the old way of heating & cooling?

Brought to you by the Plainfield & Cornish Energy Committees

Thursday, JUNE 23, 6:30-8pm

Plainfield Elementary School, Music Room

92 Bonner Road, Meriden

This is a LIVE in-person event - Masks recommended.

Heat pumps are highly efficient heating & cooling devices.

• Learn about heat pump technology

• Hear about different brands

• Meet different installers

• See heat pumps in action on trailer displays!

Contact jos...@gmail.com for more info.

Meetings

• May 9th: 3 pm  Managers Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83882149225?pwd=Ty9KM2s5RVBab1JHaVFGZlNFdGo0Zz09

• May 9th NH NETWORK MONTHLY meeting:  Community Power seminar

WHEN:  Monday, May 9, 2022  - 5:30 - 6:30 pm EST (free virtual event)

WHERE:  Preregistration required.  REGISTER HERE for May 9

• May 10th 7 pm: Legislative Work Group (Here is an email link as there is a lot going on.)

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGpFgzrRHKZkHtBffMgRwpncRQh

• May 12th  7 pm:  NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action

Please join the NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action on Thursday, May 12th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for "Restoring Ecosystems, Restoring Ourselves."

Zoom Registration: https://www.nhclimatehealth.org/our-events/restoring-ecosystems-restoring-ourselves

• May 12th 6:30 to 8:30 pm:  Kent Street Coalition:  Winning Back NH in 2022.  Sign up at:

https://forms.gle/yBzBffqTKFnNKQWf8

Plastic Working Group Update

Here are the notes from tonight's Plastics Work Group meeting.

We are up to 27 towns, and Plastic Free July events in multiple towns are on the horizon.

Our next meeting is Sunday, May 22.

• 5:30 pm: New Member On Boarding - Google Tools Orientation

• 6:00 pm: Meeting

Here is the ZOOM link for both meetings:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09

IMPORTANT Educational Opportunity:    5 Week ONLINE Course beginning June 26.  Register within two weeks - $350.

This seems like a good opportunity to work with directly with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson (All We Can Save, Drawdown) - scholarships available (info when you click on the link to learn more). They are also planning a fall series.

A homegrown Atlantan, Dr. Wilkinson holds a doctorate in geography and environment from Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in religion from Sewanee, where she is now a visiting professor. Formative months spent in the Southern Appalachians, as a student at The Outdoor Academy, shaped her path. Time magazine featured Dr. Wilkinson as one of 15 “women who will save the world” and Apolitical named her one of the “100 most influential people in gender policy.” She is happiest on a mountain or a horse. Find her @DrKWilkinson.

https://mailchi.mp/allwecansave.earth/introducing-a-new-course-for-finding-your-place-in-climate-work?e=70d4a22f31

Friends,

Summary includes an update on legislative actions including bills, an important summary from Jon Swan (Save Forest lake) and a detailed summary of grassroots actions by the 10 Towns initiative.

Meetings

April 25  5:30 pm  Managers meeting to plan the June summit.

Legislative Action

Please go the the website link for actions to be taken tonight.  Bills include infrastructure for electric vehicles, supporting bio-mass facility (or not), an advanced recycling proposal, supporting a multi use energy platform, establishing a committee to support criteria for landfill.

https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/NH-bills#h.ouvlymurdh7y

Plastics Working Group Grassroots Efforts

• Introductions, New Members & Action Updates!

  • Bristol - Nancy shared that she is showing YouTube videos about the harm of plastics and actions to take; followed by an art project based on reuse messaging for 25 children at the Bristol Community Center; doing a monthly Earth Day Everyday presentation/discussion at the library on topics people  show an interest in at the Sustainability Fair (May 21);  Hannaford  plastics collection

  • Nelson - Patsy has been making updates to the TTTA website; Earth Day display up in the library, newsletter in the works; clean up day in Nelson; attended NRRA Recycle Right campaign info session

  • Harrisville - Mary attended NRRA Recycle Right info session; Harrisville team meeting - two new members; Earth Day exhibit at library; promo on FB page; foam drive; sent out a list (to all my networks 0f Gardeners, Mermaids, Action folks in Harrisville) of 6 recycling tips (NexTrex, Subaru (Terracycle), Styrofoam collection and batteries, EcoSmith - clothing/shoes, and coffee grounds at Starbucks)  I will pass it along to the PWG.

  • Cornish - Cindy helped set up Cornish & Plainfield library Earth Day display w/NEC posters; presenting at NRRA conference, working w/co-op; presenting at NEC Climate Action Course with Bonnie

  • Hopkinton - roadside clean up - offered 2 bags (recyclables & trash); Witching Hour Provisions offered raffle & coffee in compostable bags; gave away reusable cloth bags; clean up under the deck by the river; young person writing a letter to pizza restaurant to stop using styrofoam; 1 school has switched to reusables in cafeteria; high school coming next; promoting Plastic Free July resolution to Selectboard; River-Friendly Businesses and Restaurants certification, coordinating with Chamber of Commerce.  Modeled after the Ocean-Friendly Restaurant program that Surfrider does; speaking at NEC Climate Action Class; ‘Bring Bags’ hang tag (Vistaprint); decal for window using Vistaprint

  • Center Harbor - Center Harbor & Moultonboro have Earth Day displays, ZOOM presentation on Earth Day; recording will be available; clean up day held; may do another clean up for Plastic Free July

  • Dover - Kristine’s group PWG of the Dover Dems produced an Earth Day Green Tip; organized book display event at the Dover Library w/Green Tips, book mark, and NEC poster; Monthly ‘Don’t Trash Dover’ clean up day; reusables campaign in progress focused on restaurant/hospitality/food purveyors; attended Lebanon foam collection; 

  • Dover - Cynthia reports that the Pittsburgh City Council has banned plastic bags (and fracking years ago); Green Tips will be shared with Pittsburgh’s St Bruno’s Creation Care Team and possible another church; foldable grocery bags to be used in a ‘better bag’ campaign; cart use for ‘no plastic pathway’ and reusable plastic buckets

  • Lebanon - Darla is a member of Sustainable Lebanon and Lebanon Conservation Commission; volunteered at Lebanon foam collection; Pittsburgh facilitated water’s civil rights position which supported fracking ban; active in plastic waste reduction wherever she lives; communicates with corporations on plastic waste reduction

  • Chester - Ann is learning; has been in touch with waste management team, but they are challenged by recycling; willing to work together; talked with state reps Wm Gannon & Jess Edwards; will craft a bottle bill with Ann; recorded 42.5 hours of trash pick up in Atkinson, Candia, and surrounding towns; working with Chester Dems on plastic actions; will table at 300th anniversary; needs info on Hopkinton reusables and access to Green Tips; wants to screen Microplastic Madness

  • Claremont - Reb organized a Microplastics Madness free screening; Valley News promoted; working Plastic Free July campaign;

  • Portsmouth - Christina continues Surfrider work

Save Forest Lake (and the fight over landfills - Jon Swan)

Lots of good news to share, and lots of moving parts, so I'll just share some brief summaries, news stories, op-eds, video links, attachments.  The momentum in this fight continues to favor our side, as we raise awareness and more opposition to Casella's efforts to continue to exploit the natural resources of New Hampshire for its own selfish, financial interests.  We do not need a new Casella landfill in NH.

Casella CEO John Casella had an op-ed that appeared in the Cal-Rec, Concord Monitor, and this weekend's Union Leader.  I've attached that, as well as the supporting analysis from their hired consultant, DSM Environmental.  The Cliff Notes version of it all:  Fear tactics, greenwashing, and overexaggerated, unsubstantiated financial and environmental claims, utilizing a phony report from a hired analyst, all with the goal of trying to garner some kind of support for their unneeded, new landfill project in Bethlehem/Dalton, or expansion of the existing NCES Landfill in Bethlehem.  They admittedly have no other plan, so John's whiny op-ed serves to confirm that not only do both options appear bleak for them, Casella could very well be homeless in NH by 2026.  There's been no new permitting activity for nearly 6 months now.  It's certainly not our fault they aren't very good at siting, community relations, and proper planning.  Photo shop pic of a homeless John Casella attached ;)

Also, this week, the Dalton Conservation Commission reached out to Casella and Mr. Ingerson, to try and arrange a site visit during the growing season, late April, early May, and were denied.  Keep in mind, too, there is a June 1, 2022 deadline for Casella to submit requested data to NHDES, relative to the incomplete solid waste permit application.  There is so much missing information, including local approvals and other permit applications, that it is my sense that Casella will withdraw its solid waste permit application prior to the June 1 deadline.  This is their MO, as they did the same with their initial Stage VI expansion permit application in Bethlehem, as opposed to it being denied by NHDES.  I have shared with Director Wimsatt of NHDES that we are watching, and we expect his department to follow the rules and regulations, unlike the past behavior we saw last year, relative to the wetlands permit application.  Further shenanigans from NHDES is not acceptable.

Good News from NHDES!  I received the below-pasted email on Friday.  Capacity crisis in NH?  Not in the North Country! 

Notification - Approval of Mt. Carberry Landfill Expansion (Phase IIIA)

NHDES has approved with conditions the permit modification application to authorize an expansion, known as Phase IIIA, of the Mt. Carberry Secure Landfill in Success, NH.  The final decision documents will be available within 2-3 business days on the NHDES website under Latest News at https://www.des.nh.gov/waste/solid-waste, and through the facility’s record on NHDES’ OneStop file management system

More good news!  On Monday, the Littleton School Board authorized sending a letter to NHDOT, urging them to deny the driveway permit for Casella's landfill project at Douglas Drive.  Cal-Rec news story attached.  Attacking this project from many angles has been hugely successful!  Thanks again to all who have reached out to NHDOT!

Good news to report relative to HB1454! On Thursday, the NH Senate "special ordered" HB1454 for May 5, meaning they opted to put off voting for the bill that day, and instead, it will be the first bill to be discussed and voted on when they convene May 5.  It seems there is some behind the scenes effort to possibly amend the bill, so we are awaiting details.  Hopefully Senate Democrats are realizing that the optics of their opposition are simply terrible for them, particularly since they sunk HB177 last year!

HB1454 even got a mention in this weekend's edition of the Union Leader's State House Dome report: 

Landfill bill stays alive

Waste companies and some hydrological experts have the knives out, but a House-passed plan to put tougher siting requirements for new landfills is still breathing.

This House-passed bill (HB 1454) would require that an independent review confirm that contamination from a landfill would take at least five years to migrate to a body of water if it went unchecked.

At the public hearing, nearly 200 signed up for the bill with eight, powerful opponents.

As expected, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee recommended killing the bill but the Senate hit the pause button.

The bill was moved off to a session on May 5.

Sen. Hennessey has been in a pivotal spot on the issue, working with a bipartisan group of legislators to try and find an agreement.

https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/statehouse_dome/state-house-dome-ydc-abuse-saga-offers-latest-chapter/article_bbb968ef-a2e6-521a-bc53-2c96ffcb000b.html?block_id=998119

I've also attached, and linked, a great op-ed piece from our fantastic North Country representatives that was in the Concord Monitor this week.  I'm hoping all of this attention to updating the state's weak setback requirements is not lost on the NH State Senate.  

https://www.concordmonitor.com/My-Turn-Landfills-and-clean-water-45993296?fbclid=IwAR21jhl6V-ff0kPDn_P-pzPWs0rdLxj4lnHgn-GrKsjyvXp9OQ0fSP95u9U

If you happen to be interested in saving Mt Washington from a silly vanity project, here's a link to video I shot of the April 20 meeting between Cog Railway owner Wayne Presby and theCoos County Planning Board, in which the conceptual plan to put sleeper cars atop is shared:  https://youtu.be/r-F1WyuCc3o  I've also attached a copy of this week's Cal-Rec article.  The youtube video page has links to more stories, a petition, etc.  Weird that NHDNCR Commissioner Sarah Stewart would be supportive of this project, yet has done nothing to help us save Forest Lake State Park.  Personally, I'd like to see the Forest Lake Association take over control of the park once we defeat Casella, and bring it back to life, including charging for admission. 

Friends,Meeting and action opportunities for this week include planning for the Network’s June summit, promoting carbon cash-back as a town warrant, and an Earth Day opportunity at the Red River Theater sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters, UNH and other groups. 

If you were unable to attend the legislative summary presentation by Reps McGhee, Rep. Oxemham and Senator Watters, their slide show is offered below.   

The Plastics WG continues to gather momentum and 21 towns are now involved.  Please see the meeting notes, and consider joining this group.  All are welcome and brief trainings are available to introduce the website.

Please go the website for recommended action on this week’s bills.

Meetings

Monday, April 18th at 5:30 pm - Managers' Meeting, open to all

Join Zoom link

https://umassboston.zoom.us/j/92744175170

Agenda to include:

• May 9th Event Update - Community Power Planning*

• Planning for our June Summit and help is needed.

• We are forming a sub committee to work on the June Summit. Please email if you interested in helping.

Wednesday, April 20 at 1:00-1:45 p.m - Earth Day 2022  Call to Action for NH! 

A snapshot of the Network's activities, showing ways to participate in protecting NH's environment  - share with friends and networks!

No registration needed, join the zoom click on the link at newhampshirenetwork.org/events

Wednesday, April 20th 6 pm -  “Youth vs Gov” film and discussion  

Red River Theater  11 South Main Street  Concord

Sunday, April 24th 6 pm  - Plastics Work Group

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09

 Legislative update slide show

 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hVKHWN44Y1axvoVXaXBEk_Pc0DDbwsvv/edit#slide=id.p1

Carbon Cash-Back Warrant Article Action Plan:  (from John Gage jhgage@gmail.com)

Is your town listed in the C3 Towns Passed List?  If not, please read on!

Carbon pricing is mentioned 680 times in the IPCC's new report on climate mitigation, and the IPCC'S SR15 report states, "Explicit carbon prices remain a necessary condition of ambitious climate policies".  In other words, if we fail to include putting a price on carbon emissions from fossil fuels in our climate solutions mix we will fail to achieve the 1.5˚C or even the 2˚C warming limit goals.

Here's a powerful Earth Day climate project for you:  sign up to be the NH Carbon Cash-Back Coalition (C3) Town Champion for your town and put the Resolution to Take Action on Climate Pollution on your town's 2023 warrant.  The C3 warrant article calls on state and federal legislators to pass cash-back carbon pricing legislation.  The Cash-Back method is the equitable way to price carbon according to the experts.

In the last three years, 45 NH citizens have put the C3 article on their town's warrant, and 75% of those towns passed the resolution.  Even when the resolution doesn't pass, this project gives people an opportunity to learn and talk about an effective and equitable climate solution.  This project has attracted attention in Congress - our NH delegation is interested in this policy but even more interested in the positive response to the C3 project.  The carbon cash-back bill in Congress now has 96 co-sponsors (energyinnovationact.org)... but more support is needed to push it through.

You can learn about and join the C3 town warrant article project at carboncashback.org.  The citizens' petition warrant article template is available on the Files page, studies showing the power and benefits of federal Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation are on the Benefits page, and a summary of NH town successes can be found on the Celebration page.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have about what's involved and have attached the welcome document shared with people who sign up for their town to give you a comprehensive look at what is involved.

Plastics Working Group Update (from Cindy Heath)

Hello Plastics Work Group & Ten Towns Leaders!

This is a bit long - thanks for reading all the way through.

Here are the notes from tonight's meeting.

One important outcome is the shift to a rotating facilitator model for PWG meetings beginning in May.

Another point, which is somewhat of a 'branding' update, is that the definition of 'Town' in the Ten Towns Ten Actions campaign has expanded beyond what we might typically think. We have actions occurring by individuals, town governments, small ad hoc groups, retirement communities, and multi-town/regional organizations. All can be considered 'towns', and we are excited to share that we now have 21 towns taking action to reduce plastic waste and pollution in NH.

An appeal. If you are taking an action we would appreciate hearing about it on this google form - we have an emerging metrics plan, and we are striving to collect as much information as we can to show progress on our collective work and continue to learn from each other.

The next meeting is on Sunday, April 24, 6 pm.

New Member On Boarding at 530 pm - Toolkit Tour/Actions Discussion

ZOOM LINK

Meeting ID: 627 560 9302

Passcode: garden

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,6275609302# US (New York)

Because we have been consistently seeing new members at each meeting - we are shifting the social gathering time at 5:30 pm that has been taking place in advance of each meeting to a 'New TTTA Member On Boarding' session to see how that works. Current thinking is to have a walk through of the website with discussion on which actions might be pursued. Please encourage attendance!

Thanks all,

Cindy

Note: Bruce Berk  was visiting family last week so no summary.  

Here is what is on tap for this week.  Informative and important Network meeting tonight at 5:30 pm  to discuss crossover bills.  In addition consider one of the following opportunities ranging from film opportunities to recycling workshop to NH Interfaith Climate and Justice workshop.   A ton of legislative options to support for 4/12.  See below)

Meetings

• April 11th 5:30 pm - Cross Over (Beauty and the Beast)

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGmvpGCwFpXMTgBCXBRwqQsxzTg

• April 12  7:00 pm  -  Legislative WG

• April 13  6:00 pm - NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action's next webinar, entitled ‘Can we feed the world healthfully and sustainably?  Online registration is now available at www.nhclimatehealth.org/our-events.  

• April 20th - 1:00 pm - Members of the NH Network will present a snapshot of the Network's activities and show ways that folks can join & participate in protecting NH's environment.

Register for the Zoom Link

• April 20  6:00 pm -  “Youth vs Gov”  Red River Theater $10 PP  (LCV, CLF and UNH)

• April 21 noon to 1 pm   - Have you ever wished you could ask all of your recycling questions to a panel of experts? Now is your chance! We will answer questions such as - what do those chasing arrows mean? Do egg cartons get recycled with paper or cardboard? Is recycling even worth it? And much, much more!

This event is free and open to the public on Thursday, April 21 from 12 to 1 PM EST – invite your friends, neighbors, and community. Registration required. All registrants will receive a link to the video recording afterward and are encouraged to send in questions regardless of whether or not you’re able to join us live. We hope to see you there!

Register Today!  https://www.nrrarecycles.org/event/ask-me-anything-recycling-edition

Facebook Event – Please Share!  https://fb.me/e/2pzobYZfk

Some opportunities for important legislative actions items were considered on Monday and Tuesday.  Sorry not to get those alerts out sooner.   Do consider, however,  contacting your representation TODAY to oppose HR 17.   At a minimum, review this MIT produced interactive climate software.    My cheatsheet on it appears at the summary’s end.

https://en-roads.climateinteractive.org/scenario.html?v=22.3.0&p1=2&p39=243   (click on En-Roads)

Overview

• Meetings opportunities

• Jon Swan and Landfill/Groundwater Updates

• Plastics Work Group updates

• Can We Be Carbon Zero by 2050 and action items

• Webinar training on linking behaviorally change and sustainability

• Yale Climate Opinion Map:  Deep dive into opinions/attitudes throughout the country

• Local funding options provided by the federal government   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFbLGgy_VcE)

Meetings:  (zoom links for Network and legislative are forthcoming)

Monday, April 4, 1 pm - Plastics Work Group: Finalize goals for the next two years with Hayley Jones

Sunday, April 10, 6 pm - Plastics Work Group

ZOOM LINK: (same for both  meetings)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVU

Monday, April 11 5 30 pm  General Network meeting group

Tuesday, April 12  7 pm  Legislative working group

Jon Swan and Landfill/Groundwater Updates

Two legislative success updates from Jon Swan,  “HB1454 would utilize the science of groundwater flow, and the speed at which any contaminant release from the site would reach a nearby body of water, with a 5-year minimum setback.  The NH House Environment & Agriculture Committee worked very hard to perfect the language of the bill, and it came out of committee as Ought To Pass, with Amendment.  As you can see from yesterday's House floor voice vote, the amendment and OTPA recommendation were approved, and now HB1454 moves on to the NH Senate for approval there.”  And, “I wanted to share the good news from today's Senate session.  Senator Erin Hennessey successfully revived bipartisan SB380, overturning the committee recommendation of interim study by a vote of 14-8, and then getting a floor amendment passed 20-2.  Now, on to the House Finance Committee.  Our third successful bill this session!”  SB 380 sets in motion a solid waste study group for the state.  My sense is the current plan is nearly 20 years old.  

Plastics Workgroup Update  (This may be more detail than you require, but this list is intended to offer detail on grassroots actions)

Action updates!

• Center Harbor - Carol Sullivan is meeting with the Selectboard; predicts support for Earth Day events with library; shared book list with Interlakes School &amp; Meredith Library; connecting Selectboard with Network; collaborating with Nancy (Bristol) &amp; Paula (Taylor Comm)

• Bristol - Nancy is speaking at Starr King UU Fellowship about the Ten Towns (Plymouth area); talking to youth center director about possible composting and the award winning film about the 5th graders, "MICROPLASTIC MADNESS"; Library committee agreed to do one presentation a month for adults about Sustainability. In June, we are preparing 50 craft boxes for families dealing with plastics. May 24,Sustainability Fair

• Upper Valley - Cindy Heath is excited about Youth Summit, foam recycling, Earth Day, Plastic Free July; book list - will donate books; e-book w/PHS Eco Club &amp; Lilac; co-op SUP; beer can carrier reuse program, screening of Microplastic Madness in Plainfield/Cornish; waste audit April 1 @ LHS

• Claremont - Reb is working on an educational program at the Claremont Library in July; privatization of transfer station; financially sustainable

• Nelson/Harrisville - Mary & Patsy met with Keene State College CALL program; will host expert panel for Plastic Free July - Christina, Melissa Gates, Joshua on the panel; collecting foam over 3 months; conscious of carbon footprint for transporting foam; newsletter publications ongoing promoting NexTrex and Terracycle; impacting other on plastic wrap considerations; “Read - Return - Repeat” messaging at Nelson Library; new actions added to TTT Toolkit: 1) introduce plastic pollution education into stem/art classes; 2) resources on‘craftivism’. Google Analytics for the Ten Towns Toolkit is now running.

• Dover - Kristine & Mike met with Resilience Director; Earth Day craft display at Library, cotton cloth bags

• Lebanon - Judith reports that Lebanon has adopted natural burial policies; not perfect but acceptable to everyone; rethink fleece

• Durham - will share foam recycling info with solid waste committee; will promote TTT at end of event;librarian is handling Earth Day event with HS students

• Chester - Ann P- 40 hours of roadside garbage pick up - will focus on plastic; very visible

• Hopkinton - Earth Day roadside clean up organized by WRC, convinced CC to be involved too; also Rotary and Hop Dems will be joining; Witching Hour Provisions refillery may join & promote reusables; brought random plastic from Beaver Dam and Dunkin Donut parking lot and passed it around to CC; 4th of July parade participation &amp; Plastic Free July proclamation; local farm has USDA grant pilot for on-farm composting to divert waste and composting food scraps at farms - may evolve to transfer station

Is Net Zero by 2050 Possible?

From John Gage:

Dear Friend,

Thank you for registering for the NH Network's "Is Net-Zero by 2050 Possible?" event! 

In case you missed it or wish to share it with friends (please do!), the recording has been published on YouTube and is available at newhampshirenetwork.org/events.  Click on the "Watch on YouTube" link on the video to watch it in normal YouTube mode.  A link to the actions document that was reviewed in the final 15 minutes is provided in the description on the NH Network events page and in the YouTube video description.

Our main objective is to help citizens across New Hampshire who are concerned about climate change better understand the big picture of the economics of climate pollution (market failure due to external costs), the scale of policy changes required to address the problem in the limited time remaining to hold warming at 1.5˚C, and what each of us can do about it locally right now.

We also hope to help decision-makers in New Hampshire anticipate changes in the national and global energy market that will soon shift the foundation on which energy decisions are made by the citizens, municipalities, and businesses of New Hampshire.  With this insight, they can maximize the benefits and minimize the costs of our transition to a clean energy economy.  Please share this with your State Representatives and encourage them to watch the recording.

This event was a response to HR 17, a state House resolution that asks Congress to remove the strongest lever (carbon pricing) from their solutions toolkit.  The House will likely vote on the resolution the Thursday, March 31.  For more details on that, please see attached.

Many of you already volunteer to contribute to help better our state in many ways.  If our event has inspired you to contribute at the federal level as well, please consider joining Citizens' Climate Lobby (2-minute CCL intro video) to help create the political will for federal climate legislation that uses expert-recommended policies that are designed to avoid all the potential pitfalls described in HR 17.  CCL volunteers meet monthly on zoom to learn, plan, practice, and take action to help create the political will to enable Congress to pass effective and equitable climate legislation.

Thank you for all your efforts to protect and preserve our way of life in New Hampshire

It is important/imperative to contact your representative today.  Here are some talking points highlights I gleaned from the session, and shared with my rep.   At a minimum, check out this interactive MIT software that enables users to experiment with different solutions to mitigate temperature increases by the century’s end.  Please note that the March 2022 NH climatologist report anticipates these same temperature rates of increase, ie, without action the average increase in temperature will exceed 6 degrees F by 2100.

https://en-roads.climateinteractive.org/scenario.html?v=22.3.0&p1=2&p39=243   (click on En-Roads)

Some highlights from this software  

-Surprisingly, going totally electric vehicles, meeting reforestation goals, and banning coal are projected to minimally reduce warming from about 6.3 degrees (F) to about 5.5 degrees.

-The “movers” are reductions in methane, building efficiency and carbon pricing.  Carbon pricing, alone, will have almost double the impact in temperature reduction of electrical vehicles, reforestation and banning coal combined.

-A carbon fee and dividend should appeal across the political spectrum.   It is not a subsidy nor does it increase regulation.  Instead, by gradually increasing carbon fees companies will seek to be more energy efficient and it will encourage consumers to be more green.

-Carbon fees are a regressive tax, but the dividend reverses this negative effect, and low carbon users may even receive more in dividends than they pay in taxes.  (HB 17 argues we cannot afford carbon pricing.)

In addition,

-We are willing to pay fees for cars, boats, transfer stations.  Why not for carbon emissions?

-Our world has a waste management problem, and we need to find a way to incentivize states and countries to reduce carbon emissions.  Dumping carbon into the atmosphere for free is unsustainable.

-Opponents will argue that the science is inexact and thus cannot be counted on.  A doctor could say the same about a two pack a day smoker.  “Here is what the science tells us about your potential for cancer of heart issues, but one cannot definitely say you will die of cancer.”  

So, one can argue that the outcome for cancer (or climate change) is not 100% certain and so…

Webinar to Receive Federal Funding

Webinar to receive funding from the federal government for local and municipal projects, ie, earmarks.    

Please note applications are due by April 15th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFbLGgy_VcE

Climate Map 

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

Webinar on Leadership Training and Sustainability

https://www.therootsolutions.org/events-and-trainings/

One, you can go to the link below and see emails sent from the last week. There is a legislative update, upcoming events for the next week including from the League of Conservation Voters, an online course on Plastics and their impacts.  Importantly, there is an action item on gerrymandering. Please act by 3/16.

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network

Action Item

Action item on gerrymandering  from  the NH Sierra Club on the gerrymandered congressional district bill, HB52.

We need a big showing to the NH Senators before they vote next Thursday 3/17.

Please first send the letter to Senate President Morse and your senator asap. Then second, share the passage below - or something similar to your networks with an email or a social media post or text. However. We are working with other groups too but I encourage you to fill out all the letters!

We need you to engage more people for a bigger turn out because the congressional and the state senate proposals will lock NH into a 10-year quagmire of predetermined voting districts that will further stagnate our state progress on climate justice and many more issues we care about. Do this for our democracy - sorry to sound so dramatic.

URGENT: Please tell the NH Senate to vote NO on gerrymandered congressional districts for the floor vote on Thurs 3/17. 

Here is how: https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/NewHampshire?actionId=AR0354052

Legislative   

Joe shares,   "This will be a short, very short message regarding legislative activity this week (March 14th-18th).

The House will be meeting in full session on March 15, 16 and 17th and will likely take up a number of the environment, energy and climate bills that we have been following since the beginning of the session.

The Senate E&NR Committee will be meeting on March 15th at 9am in SH103 for an Executive Session.   This session is open to the public but no public testimony will be allowed.  

 In addition, the full Senate will meet on March 17th from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

Events and Meetings

Please consider joining the NH Network's event "Preparing for the New Normals in NH's Climate" on Monday, March 14th at 5:30-7:00pm via Zoom.   You can register on the NH Network's website. 

There are quite a few events coming up, so start marking your calendars.

• Monday, March 14 5:30 pm:  2022 NH Climate Assessment:  Preparing for the New Normals in New Hampshire’s Climate, with UNH scientists Dr. Cameron Wake and Dr. Mary Stampone

• Monday, March 28:  a double-header!

5:30 pm Vision/mission/planning session with Hayley Jones of Community Action Works (she helped shape the Ten Towns Toolkit campaign)

7:00 pm  Is Net Zero by 2050 Possible?   Policy Options to Achieve US and COP26

Climate Ambitions, with Dr. Charles Wheelan and MIT's EnROADS climate policy simulator

• Monday, April 11 5:30 pm  Crossover Season in the NH Legislature:  The Beauties and the Beasts of Environment, Energy and Climate Bills

TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THESE EVENTS, go to

newhampshirenetwork.org/events

More events from NH Network partners are listed at newhampshirenetwork.org/calendar

And join a meeting of the Plastics, Legislative or Communications Working Groups.  Dates and details at newhampshirenetwork.org/work-groups

Tough to focus on events beyond Ukraine, but a weekly update on meetings, a first step UN action on plastics, plastic recycling tips for those pesky plastics, carbon cash back HR 17 action, and action options through Kent Street Coalition highlight this week . (Governor Sununu in his State of the State “called out” radical elements within the state.  Kent Street is hosting a discussion on extremism in the state this Thursday, March 10th.)  See link below.

Please spread the word on the Network’s March 14th meeting on the 2022 NH Climate Assessment.

• Meetings

• Legislative Actions

• Plastic Recycling Tips

• UN Action Plastics Treaty

• HR 17 action 

Meetings

Monday, March 7 - Managers' meeting (all are invited) - 5:30 pm

Tuesday, March 8 - Legislative Work Group meeting - 7 pm

Thursday, March 10 - Kent Street Coalition monthly meeting

Sunday, March 13 - Plastics Work Group meeting 

Monday, March 14 - NH Network monthly meeting - 5:30 pm

March 7th 5:30 pm MANAGERS’ MEETING (anyone welcome)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82679108496?pwd=RTRLMlJwdHB1Z0xjeE02WmRjQlcxQT09

March 8th Legislative Group meeting   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6037307148 (map)

March 10th  6:30 KSC monthly meeting.   Topic:  NH extremism

https://mailchi.mp/306f98c169c6/ksc-happenings-action-march-6-20155960

March 13 6 pm Plastics Working Group

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09

Monday, March 14  5:30 pm, authors of the 2022 NH Climate Assessment to speak on our "New Normals."  REGISTER  HERE

Action items

Legislative actions go the the website

https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/NH-bills#h.ouvlymurdh7y

Plastics:  UN treaty:  first steps

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/03032022/plastics-treaty-united-nations/

How to Recycle the Unrecyclable 

There is a growing awareness of the difficulty of recycling products we consume while living our daily lives - especially the many types of single use plastic (SUP) we encounter in the course of grocery shopping, furnishing our homes and offices, enjoying travel experiences, and acquiring the necessary clothing to stay warm in our winter climate and take to the outdoors in the other seasons.

Did you know that according to some research, only 9% of plastic is actually recycled? As consumers, we can ‘choose to refuse’ using and purchasing items wrapped in single use plastic. Here are some tips:

• Purchase items with as little packaging as possible

• Bring your own reused plastic or cotton produce bags for produce and bulk items

• Opt for highly-recyclable glass and metal options when they are available

• Eliminate plastic wrap by using containers or “beeswaxed” cloth alternatives

And there’s good news! While sometimes using SUP is unavoidable, there are places we can recycle certain types of plastic instead of throwing it away where it litters our landscapes, and leaches chemicals into our soil and water. 

So here is what we know so far about how to recycle two types of plastic - film & snack packaging:

Plastic Film - bread bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags, produce bags, toilet paper, napkin, and paper towel wraps, furniture wrap, electronic wrap, plastic retail bags, deli bags, grocery bags, 

Ziploc® Bags), Tyvek (no glue, labels, other material), plastic shipping envelopes, bubble wrap, and air pillows (deflate/remove labels if possible), case wrap (e.g., snacks, water bottles). Recycle at Hannaford’s in West Lebanon and Keene.

Snack Packaging - Disposable cups, lids, and straws; candy and snack wrappers; and coffee and creamer capsules. Recycle at Subaru dealership in WRJ, VT - go all the way to the back of the show room and turn right into the waiting room to find the Terracycle boxes. (This can also be done in Keene.)

For more info on this option, here’s an article about the partnership between Terracycle & Subaru (LINK). Of course, think about refusing single use plastic when you can!

Carbon Cash back (thanks John Gage)

The State Legislature's anti-Carbon Cash-Back resolution - HR17 - may be voted on this week by the whole House of Representatives in Concord.  This House Resolution is an attempt to undo years of volunteer climate solution advocates' efforts across the state!

Experts say a border-adjusted, cash-back carbon fee on fossil fuel production at the federal level is the most powerful, cost-effective, beneficial, equitable, and far-reaching solution to reduce carbon emissions, and it attracts bipartisan support.  Citizens across the state and across the country are working to create political will to enable Congress to pass this legislation.  We are making progress, but the HR17 resolution in the Concord State House is an attempt to take carbon pricing off the table.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives will begin voting on bills this Thursday, March 10th, though it may take them a week or two for them to get around to voting on HR17.

Here is a quick and easy action you can take right now to both help create political will for federal Carbon Cash-Back legislation and to help defeat HR17:

1) Please call your town's State Representatives and ask them to oppose HR17.  Their contact information is easy to find:  select your town from the "Select a Town" menu at gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/ then click on each Representative's name on the resulting town page.

2) What to say?  Tell them your name and town, and ask them to oppose HR17 when they vote on it this month.  Remind them it's a state resolution against a carbon tax on fuels for electricity and transportation (for the full text click on "Introduced" here).  Tell them there are several reasons to reject this resolution:

    2.3) The HR17 resolution ignores the most likely way Congress would implement carbon pricing - as part of a three-part solution (Carbon Fee and Dividend with Border Carbon Adjustments).  Offer to share the attached elevator pitch (laser talk) with them.  The other two parts of the policy address all the concerns listed in HR17:  the cash-back dividend protects family budgets (citizensclimatelobby.org/household-impact-study), and Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) protect US business competitiveness and are the only way we can hold other countries accountable for their climate pollution.  WTO GATT rules dictate that we can only implement BCAs in combination with an explicit carbon price.  The federal Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act bill does all this, and is the most well-supported carbon pricing bill ever in Congress.  The New Hampshire legislature should be helping Congress do it, not impeding its progress!

    2.4) Of the 44 New Hampshire towns that voted in annual town meetings about whether to ask Congress to pass Carbon Fee and Dividend with Border Carbon Adjustment legislation, 33 of them (75%) voted to do so, some by 97% of everyone who voted.  Check to see if your town voted yes in the list near the bottom of carboncashback.org, and mention the fact if it is.

3) While you have them on the phone about carbon pricing, here are two more potential directions to take the discussion:

    3.1) If they have doubts that greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuels or climate change is a problem for New Hampshire that requires policy changes, or if they seem like they might be interested in the science for any reason at all, please invite them to the New Hampshire Network's "New Climate Normals" event on March 14th to hear from two of the state's leading climate scientists and co-authors of the soon-to-be-released 2022 New Hampshire Climate Assessment.  You and your friends are of course invited also!  Register from here or the banner at the top of newhampshirenetwork.org, and share either page or the attached flyer.

    3.2) If they are strongly against HR17, please ask them to consider endorsing the federal Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act to help create political will to enable Congress to do it.  This bill implements the Carbon Fee and Dividend with Border Carbon Adjustments policy.  Prominent Individuals (such as State Reps) can do this from the "Endorse the Bill" button at the top of the bill website:  energyinnovationact.org.

4) If they don't pick up, just leave a message with the highlights.  Then please try calling a few more times (without leaving a message) over the next few days, in the hopes of reaching them.  A one-on-one discussion is more impactful than a message, but every bit helps!  If you aren't able to keep calling, perhaps just follow up with a brief email.

A variety of possible actions this week ranging from Earth Day suggestions to a six-week book discussion on climate change to NE recycling updates, legislative updates and an article by our own Pat Martin on heat pumps

Legislative actions have slowed for this week.  Likely you saw Joe Kwasnik’s recommendations for two energy bills being reviewed on 2/22.   There has been some legislative progress (and setbacks).  As recently as yesterday HB 1119 passed the house which reserves the right of towns to make decisions on single use plastic bags.  

The NH Bulletin’s summary of legislative actions from last week is listed below.

As you know the Plastics Word Group had a hugely successful launch on 2/07.  Since that date, three or more towns are looking to be involved.  A video of the recording is listed below.

Finally, you may have seen the governor’s State of the State last Thursday where he highlighted many of his successes including progress on net metering, and highlighted his opposition to extreme ideologies on the left and the right (free staters.)

Overview

• Meetings

• New Hampshire Bulletin legislative summary

• PlasticsWG 2/07 kickoff recording  AND important coverage by the Keene Sentinel

• The 2020 Environmental Impact Report for Recycling

• Earth Day Opportunities

• Book group opportunity:  All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis

• Heat pumps 

Meetings

• Monday, Feb 28, 5:30 pm.  NH NETWORK Managers' Meeting.  Attendance is open to all.   Zoom link will be shared by February 27th.

• March 6, 5 pm (First  of a 6 week book group)  All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis"   DETAILS Below

• March 14th NH Network Event:  Preparing for the New Normals in New Hampshire’s Climate 

Legislative Summary

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/02/17/energy-efficiency-vaccines-and-beyond-a-roundup-of-house-and-senate-action/

Plastics Work Group: Video summary and excellent summation article

• Video of 2/07 Kickoff Feb 7th Ten Towns Toolkit mp3 Video

• Summation in the Keene Sentinel

The 2020 Environmental Impact Report for Recycling  (NE Recovery Recycling Association)

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/hqRq20U0hao

Earth Day suggestions for local libraries

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/ixdo42VslSQ

Book group opportunity:  All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis

A 6 session dialogue focusing on building community around climate solutions using the book  "All We Can Save:Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis," will begin Sunday, March 6 at 5 pm, meeting every other week through May 12, facilitated by Cindy Heath and Peter Bergstrom.

The book is now out in paperback and can be purchased online. It's also available as an e-book here.

We will cover 1-2 sections of the book each time we meet, so please read the first two sections for the March 6 discussion. Readings, dialogue prompts, and optional journaling will be part of our All We Can Save 'circles' (click to learn more).

Here is the ZOOM Link:

Topic: All We Can Save

Time: Mar 6, 2022 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6275609302?pwd=cDd0eDlqYytxa0xKek5FRVVYclJVUT09

About the book

There is a renaissance blooming in the climate movement: leadership that is more characteristically feminine and rooted in compassion, connection, creativity, and collaboration.

Intermixing essays with poetry and art, this book is both a balm and a guide for knowing and holding what has been done to the world, while bolstering our resolve never to give up on each other or our collective future. We must summon truth, courage, and solutions, to turn away from the brink and toward life-giving possibility. This book is a collection and celebration of visionaries who are leading us on a path toward all we can save.

About the Curators:

Katharine Wilkinson, PhD

Dr. Katharine Wilkinson is an author, strategist, and teacher, working to heal the planet we call home. Her books on climate include the bestselling anthology All We Can Save (2020, co-editor), The Drawdown Review (2020, editor-in-chief and lead writer), the New York Times bestseller Drawdown (2017, lead writer)

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, PhD

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist, policy expert, writer, and Brooklyn native. She is co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for coastal cities, and co-creator (and former co-host) of the Spotify/Gimlet podcast How to Save a Planet, on climate solutions. She co-edited the bestselling climate anthology All We Can Save and co-founded The All We Can Save Project.

Please RSVP your interest in any or all of the sessions by emailing Cindy Heath at  cheath58@gmail.com.

Heat Pumps and why they are the future.

Granite Geek: Heat pumps don’t seem like they’d work here but they’re the future of home heating – and air conditioning

After this week, legislative hearings will slow down.  In the meantime, there are a number of opportunities.   The simplest way to support or oppose legislation is to do directly the the NH Network webpage.  Also, although a bit redundant, I have included directions from different proponents/opponents for these bills.  Read as much as you like, but know that registering your opinion takes a few minutes only.

Congrats to the plastics group for an outstanding presentation last week.  Over 170 folks signed in.  Look to do a little or a lot about plastics.  Along those lines, consider reading Time’s article on the circular economy in Finland.

Overview

• PUC update

• Meetings:  Communications meeting 2/14

• Legislative actions (energy, landfill and plastics/local control)

• Carbon cash back opposition and legislation action opportunities

PUC Update (from Joe Kwansnik)

Likely you all have seen some press coverage of PUC Order 26,553 reestablishing funding for the energy efficiency portion of the System Benefits Charge and LDAC rates at the 2020-2021 levels.   The PUC suspended those portions of the November 12th Order relating to funding levels for  energy efficiency and LDEC pending resolution of the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) appeal of the November 12 Order before the NH Supreme Court.   All other provisions of the Order  and subsequent order remain in force including schedules for deliverables by the electric utilities and, importantly, the appeal before the NH Supreme Court continues.

Kudo's to Don Kreis for all of his efforts to protect the electric and gas bill payers in New Hampshire!  Way to go, Don!

Meetings

Topic: Planning  NH NETWORK Communications for March 14 General Meeting

Time: Feb 15, 2022 04:00 PM Eastern Time 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86867298803?pwd=RVBicWtWcWRqZHhTdlNwUE5UVHo5UT09

PREPARING FOR THE NEW NORMALS in New Hampshire’s Climate,  March 14, 5:30 pm

Scientist, educator and NH Network manager Reinmar Seidler is gathering a panel of New England scientists, who will present the latest evidence on NH's climate future.

~ Even an hour of your time would be a great help in making sure we continue to draw big audiences for our important events.  Please join us, in planning our next media blitz. ~ .

Legislative Actions on energy/landfill/plastics/local control)

Please find a Google Sheet on the NH Network website at 

newhampshirenetwork.org/NH-bills.

This Google Sheet lists and briefly describes the House and Senate bills that will be in hearing or subcommittee work session this week (Week #6 - February 14, 2022).  Included is a suggested position for each bill.

We strongly recommend attending these hearings and submitting testimony or, if unable to do so, signing in remotely to the relevant committees to lodge your support or opposition to the bills.   The links to sign in remotely are provided as follows:

HOUSE (BUTTON)   SENATE (BUTTON)

Additional detail on SB 380 (included on the  Network webpage)

Tuesday, 2/15/22, the NH Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will be holding a public hearing for our very important SB380 at 9AM in the State House, Room 103.  We need your support in the form of voting "I support" via the Senate Remote Sign In Sheet.

You can view the 2/15/22 SB380 9AM hearing via the Senate Livestream YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTtkvIy78XI

SB380 Bill Text:  https://legiscan.com/NH/text/SB380/2022

Should be some great testimony as more of our elected officials wake up to the realization that NH is well on its way to becoming the dumping ground for out-of-state trash, thanks to companies like Casella and Waste Management.  We need to remove the cash from trash, treat it as a utility, and begin laying the groundwork for a FUTURE, STATE-OWNED LANDFILL, properly, safely sited and closer to population centers, the source of the majority of waste generation.  The North Country has municipal-owned Mt. Carberry to send its waste.  NH does not have a capacity crisis, it has an out-of-state trash crisis.  Thank you! 

Additional detail on HB 1119 and 1268 (included on the Network webpage)

Two bills of interest to NHN are being heard in the House Municipal and County Government Committee this week on Tuesday, February 15, at 10:30 and 11:30 am, in the LOB, Rm 301-303.

HB 1119 allows towns to regulate the use of paper and plastic bags. Please SUPPORT.

 Some talking points if you wish to testify or contact committee members:

• Towns are desperately trying to reduce their solid waste to save tax dollars and protect the public from the environmental impact of landfills and incinerators.  The unnecessary distribution of bags, both paper and plastic, add to the waste load. 

• Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture.

• In 2015, about 730,000 tons of plastic bags, sacks and wraps were generated in the US, but more than 87% are never recycled, winding up in landfills and the ocean.

• It takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill.

• Plastic bags degrade into microplastic bits.  A recent study by the NH Lakes Association found microplastics in all samples it took from NH lakes.

• Paper bags also have an environmental footprint.  Manufacturing paper bags is energy intensive and chemical and fertilizers used in producing them creates additional harm to the environment.

• The bill promotes local control and allows municipalities to make their own decisions about how to reduce waste.

• Reusable bags are a convenient and available alternative to both paper and plastic bags.

• Reusable bags are safe.  There is no link between the use of reusable bags and COVID.

HB 1268 would limit the authority of city councils to pass ordinances.  It creates a narrow list of circumstances that ordinances could be used to address.  Please OPPOSE.

In the past, we have been vigilant about any bills that would preempt municipal governments from regulating plastics as part of their waste stream.  Although this bill does not address plastics, it could be used as justification to prevent local regulation in the future.  In general, we do not support such restrictions.  However, we don’t want to poke the bear by specifically linking this bill to plastics, which it does not specifically mention.  Thus, the best action would be simply to sign in OPPOSITION.

 You can voice your position on the bill by going to the House Remote Sign In page. It takes approximately 3 minutes to do this. We are providing step-by-step instructions should you need them. Go to the page here.                  

1. Select date of hearing (Feb. 15) on calendar at top of page.

2. Select Committee from dropdown menu.

3.  Select the bill from the dropdown menu.

4. Select Member of the Public from the dropdown menu.

5. Click on I Support This Bill or I Oppose This Bill (then Continue).

6. Add personal Information (then Continue).

7.  On the Final Review Page, be sure to check the box that says that the information you are providing is truthful (then Continue).

8. Note that at the bottom of the page, you can click on Sign Up Again to go back to the beginning of this process and weigh in on another bill.

Additional action on carbon-cash back (from John Gage)

Help for a final push to oppose HR17 - please share this widely.  Together we produced powerful public opposition (149:4) and wonderful in-person and submitted testimony.   Despite all that, the committee voted to recommend HR17 Ought To Pass (OTP) down party lines, 11:10.  This anti-Carbon Cash-Back resolution will be voted on by the whole House next week - the final step.  Partisan passage of HR17 seems likely.  Please help prevent that by doing the following:

1. Read the op-ed below (bonus points: read the second op-ed attached),

2. See if your town is in the list of 37 NH towns that have voted in favor of carbon cash-back (town list is at the bottom of carboncashback.org), then

3. Call and email your own town's State Reps and:

   1. Ask them to "oppose HR17 because border-adjusted, cash-back carbon pricing is a powerful, beneficial, bipartisan climate solution and our state should not resolve against Congress using it", 

   2. If your town passed the Carbon Cash-Back climate resolution (which supported federal Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation), mention it,

   3. Attach one of the op-eds below, or share carboncashback.org/benefits or citizensclimatelobby.org/household-impact-study with them in your email, and

   4. Invite and encourage your Representatives to join me in Zoom for an HR17 Q&A on Friday at 7:00 pm if they have any questions (register here:  bit.ly/hr17-info-021122). 

I've attached a spreadsheet of the State Legislature members with their phone numbers and email addresses, sorted by town (FYI: source -> Roster -> Roster Downloads -> Excel Microsoft 2003).  (Google sheet version).

Here is my Concord Monitor article about HR17 - I sent this to all NH House members yesterday in an email in which I admonished Rep. Notter for "peddling the propaganda" of the Heartland Institute:

On Jan. 20, in a hearing about HR 17 by the NH House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs committee, a travesty of scientific ignorance unfolded. HR 17 is a misguided resolution against carbon pricing sponsored by four members of the House Science, Technology, and Energy Committee (STE).

I want to set the record straight about what we know through science about climate change and carbon pollution from fossil fuels and make it clear that nearly all leading U.S. economists agree that a border-adjusted, cash-back carbon fee on fossil fuel production is our best first step to address this serious problem.

Carbon emissions from fossil fuels are pollution according to NASA and other scientific agencies. Our pollution has increased CO2 in the air by 50% and CH4 by 150%, and half of that change has occurred in the last 30 years.

Much of that extra CO2 will remain in the air for centuries, acting as an additional warming force on the Earth the whole time it’s there. The Scripps’ Keeling Curve 1700-present and 10K Year views show the result of the 2 trillion tons of CO2 pollution we have dumped into the air by burning fossil fuels so far.

Some CO2 in the air is necessary for life. A level of 280 ppm worked well for us during the entire evolution of human civilization during the previous 10,000 years. The CO2 we breathe out was in balance with what plants and seas uptook, before we started burning fossil fuels.

But the extra CO2 from burning fossil fuels is changing the chemical and physical properties of the world around us, causing harmful and costly problems that will grow for many future generations.

Those of us who are concerned about CO2 pollution are concerned for ourselves and for those who follow. No past generation has ever polluted this way before.

The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information has projected how this will impact New Hampshire.

1. Temperatures in New Hampshire have risen more than 3 degrees F since the beginning of the 20th century. Under a higher emissions pathway, historically unprecedented warming is projected during this century. Warming has increased more in the winter than in any other season. Future winter warming will have larger effects on snowfall and snow cover.

2. Precipitation since 2005 has averaged 6.8 inches more than the 1895-2004 average, and the highest number of extreme precipitation events occurs during 2005-2014. Annual average precipitation and the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events are projected to increase, with associated increases in flooding.

3. Global sea level is projected to rise, with a likely range of 1-4 feet by 2100. Rising sea levels pose significant risks to coastal communities and structures, such as inundation, erosion-induced land loss, and greater flood vulnerability due to higher storm surge.

A price on pollution from fossil fuels is the cheapest way to put the U.S., and global, economy on a low emissions pathway. We can do this while protecting family budgets and growing New Hampshire jobs by collecting a carbon fee from fossil fuel producers and importers and giving the money to households as an equal per-capita cash-back dividend each month, as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act in Congress does (energyinnovationact.org).

This solution also uses Border Carbon Adjustments to keep U.S. manufacturers competitive and hold other countries accountable for their pollution. No other climate policy has such emissions-reducing power, co-benefits, and global reach.

How does a price on carbon where it enters the economy decarbonize the whole economy? It motivates producers and consumers to pollute less while it incentivizes innovation, development, and adoption of clean energy solutions. A detailed explanation and recommendation from experts is available at clcouncil.org/economists-statement.

You can watch a demo of MIT’s climate policy simulator, see carbon pricing explained with chickens, and more at bit.ly/why-price-carbon.

We heard science-fiction myths promoted by the fossil fuel-funded Heartland Institute PR outfit at the HR 17 hearing last week from co-sponsors of HR 17. Let’s clear things up so our state can make informed decisions on climate policy.

I will hold a climate science, economics, and policy Q&A session on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. for state legislators who have questions about climate science, the economics of climate pollution, climate policy options, and the cash-back carbon pricing solution.

Will our state leaders listen to New Hampshire voters? 149 local citizens weighed in to oppose the HR 17 resolution at the hearing, compared with only 4 in favor.

HR 17 co-sponsor Rep. Notter’s town of Merrimack voted overwhelmingly (2:1) in favor of studying the effects and benefits of federal cash-back carbon pricing legislation for New Hampshire. I hope she will listen to her town’s voters rather than try to take this option off the table.

Chairman of the hearing committee Rep. Baldasaro’s town voted in favor of asking state and federal legislators to pass Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation to address the costs and risks of climate pollution from fossil fuels.

I hope he will learn why Londonderry (and 31 of 42 other New Hampshire towns) supported this policy approach in recent town meetings. Perhaps he can reverse HR 17, to resolve that Congress should pass the Energy Innovation Act to protect New Hampshire from the harms and costs of climate pollution.

New Hampshire’s leaders should not be fooled by Heartland Institute’s science fiction. Consider that Heartland Institute is a Koch-funded, ideologically-motivated PR firm that takes money from industry and produces misleading conferences, books, and materials honed to delay acting on the scientifically-identified pollution that comes from Koch products.

Not a single scientific organization in the world supports Heartland’s take on climate pollution. Here’s a list of 200 scientific organizations, including NASA, NOAA, EPA, DOD, DOE, and the National Academy of Science that say it is a big problem: climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus.

It’s time for the HR17 co-sponsor STE members to step up their science and climate policy game.

(John Gage is volunteer NH state coordinator for Citizens' Climate Lobby. He lives in Windham. Register for the Zoom Q&A on climate science at bit.ly/hr17-info-021122.)

Original Article: https://www.concordmonitor.com/My-Turn-Science-climate-STE-44843876

Thank you all for your time and efforts for effective and fair climate solutions!

Nothing like rain, sleet and snow to make for a challenging weekend clean up.

Top items this week include the Plastics WG kick-off including a terrific TV segment produced by Rick Maynard (see below),  continued legislation action options, a worthwhile video on landfill, and a quick postcard campaign to the governor regarding redistricting.

Overview

• Meetings

• Terrific show on 10 Towns/10 Actions by Rick Maynard (https://youtu.be/zty_gz2K878)

• Legislative action items

• Video testimony on landfill

• Action item to Governor Sununu and redistricting.

Meetings

• 2/06 6 pm  Final review for the 10 Towns/10 Actions 

  • https://lcv.zoom.us/j/7013347777?pwd=QTFYdVN1UVNUYU9WOVNqRGlBdDk1UT09 

• 2/07  6:30 pm  10Towns/10 Actions

  • • https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVR96L2q3LxwCH7kFdxIidmh7jN5xQgea61-D83lm_07RsDw/viewform

• 2/08  7 pm  Legislative Working Group (Zoom link to be sent)

Legislative Action: (If the links do not work then go directly to the webpage and click “NH Bill Action.”)

This coming week will be the last week of public hearings on bills in the House Science and Technology and the following week will be the last for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Of special note are three bills in hearing in the STE Committee focused on net metering.   These bills are very destructive to net metering in NH, and you are encouraged to sign in this week to oppose these bills.  

Please consider attending these hearings and/or signing in via the Digital Calendar portal.  I have provided the following buttons to access these portals.

HOUSE (BUTTON)   SENATE (BUTTON)

The word document containing the bills up for hearing can also be found on the NH Network website:

newhampshirenetwork.org/NH-bills

Video testimony on landfill 

(Most of us have little expertise in this area.  Here is a snippet that addresses one aspect of the challenge.  Although not a comprehensive overview, it gives a sense of the scope of the problem.)  If you desire more information then contact Jon Swan at saveforestlake@yahoo.com.   He is the man!

Cued video of NH Solid Waste Working Group Chairwoman and NH State Rep. Karen Ebel's most-excellent testimony on NH solid waste woes before the NH State Senate Ways and Means Committee public hearing on SB379, Feb 2, 2022, cued to the beginning of her testimony at 41:21:  https://youtu.be/W0KIdWiojl4?t=2481. 

Her testimony lasts about 18 minutes, ends at 59:20, but be sure to stick around until she actually ends her testimony, as she offers a couple of last-second, and most excellent, parting thoughts at 56:45 AND 57:24.

Simple Action Request:  Send a Postcard to Governor Sununu Asking for Honest, Competitive Voting Districts

Open Democracy Action is asking you to send a  single postcard to Governor Chris Sununu to keep his word and oppose the rigged House, NH Senate, Executive Council and Congressional maps.   He spoke last week to WMUR and said the Congressional maps need to be fixed, but the NH Senate is particularly bad, and the proposed Executive Council map still features the "dragon" District 2.  We expect the full NH Senate to vote on at least some of these bills on February 17, so the postcard should be mailed by next Wednesday, February 9.   We want to see a blizzard of postcards going to the Governor next week!

This Google Doc has further instructions, with links to printable postcards (your cardstock needed), suggested messages, the address, and other helpful information.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X3YdfwhF0X2jwRkDlEBC0iO7fuKZxo_tY2x6c9JERDw/edit?usp=sharing

Share this Action with  Groups From all Corners of NH to Participate!  

Do you belong to a group which believes in protecting voting rights?  Share this email and other members to participate!  Fair redistricting is good for EVERYONE. Competitive voting districts keep candidates and legislators responsive to YOU, keep turnout levels up, and keep our democracy vital  -- not rigged elections with a predetermined partisan outcome.    

Use any Postcard or Notecard

You don't have to use our printable postcard.  You can use any postcard or note card you have around the house.  What's important is the message and the timing!   

Thank you for helping with our Blizzard of Postcards action!  

If you send a card, please let Brian know:

Brian Beihl, Deputy Director  

Open Democracy Action

brian@opendemocracy.me

Always a lot going on.  A few pieces to start.  One, please attend the February 7th meeting/webinar on plastics:  the 10 Towns/10 Actions initiative.  Amazing work done by a small group of volunteers.  Two, If you have time there have been a few informative threads on the network this week from hydro pumps to carbon cashback.  Lots of good conversation and the links are listed below.  Three, inspiring, pragmatic piece by Dan Weeks of Revision Energy.  Four, thank you for your donations to Rick Maynard and his Citizens for Progress TV work.  If you are interested in donating then here is another venue.  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/NH.Progress  

Don Kreis and utility representatives gave a fact driven defense of the NHSaves program to the Residential Ratepayers Advisory Board  on January 24th, and on January 26th the Consumer Advocate’s office filed an official appeal to the NH Supreme Court regarding the PUC November 12th decision.

Similar to last week, if you are interested, here are KSC legislative actions for this week that extend beyond environment, energy and climate.  https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGmthkHqcMHtLGbpqsshKkgtCJG

Plastics, environment and energy - enough to make a soul hope for temperatures above 20 degrees.  Hope everyone kept their power and has snow - it is why we winter in NH - no?

Overview

• Meetings

• Legislative action items:  environment from Jon Swan and energy from Joe Kwasnik

• Dan Weeks:  If Maine Can Do It So Can We  (editor’s note:  feels so doable)

• email threads:  carbon cashback, SB 424 (renewable energy and natural gas),  and hydro pump power

Meetings

Ten Towns •  Ten Actions Kick Off Monday, February 7th 6:30 - 8 pm (Virtual Event) 

SIGN UP HERE and you will receive a zoom link by Feb. 6, 2022. 

Featured Panelists:

Moderator: Dr. Bob McLellan, NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action 

Susanne Moser, PhD, “A Practical Guide to Effecting Change & Messages of Hope” is a geographer (Ph.D. 1997, Clark University) who works in the US and internationally as an independent scholar and consultant from a base in western Massachusetts, the unceded ancestral homeland of the Nipmuc and Pocumtuc. Her work focuses on adaptation to climate change, science-policy interactions, climate change communication, and psycho-social resilience in the face of the traumatic and transformative challenges associated with climate change. She has served on scientific advisory boards for Future Earth, the International Science Council, the US National Research Council and contributed to IPCC and US national climate assessments. 

Portsmouth High School Environmental Change Organization 

“Harnessing the Power of Youth Influence for Environmental Change” 

Christina Dubin, “Rethinking Plastic: Policies & Actions” 

NH Surfrider Rise Above Plastics Coordinator, Sustainability Planner, UNH Carsey School 

Patsy Beffa-Negrini, PhD, RDN, Introducing the Ten Towns ● Ten Actions Toolkit 

NH Network Plastics Work Group, Nelson Community Choice Aggregation Committee 

Description: Globally, more than 380 million tons of plastic waste annually harm our health, pollute our environment, and hurt our economy. This panel discussion will highlight practical solutions individuals and communities are taking to address plastic pollution in NH, and launch the Ten Towns ● Ten Actions Toolkit. Our website contains a menu of actions, and contact information for technical support from our Ten Towns group of leaders. Learn how students in Portsmouth helped pass a ban on single use plastic, and how we can build momentum at a local level to demonstrate New Hampshire can break free from plastic. 

Commit to taking action in your town! 

Visit https://www.10towns.org/ to learn more and join the campaign. 

Hungry for More on Plastics? Suggested reading: 

The New Coal: Plastics (www.beyondplastics.org); How Bad Are Plastics Really? (www.theatlantic.org)

Environmental Bills (email from Jon Swan)

A few items for you.  First, a few of us will be attending Tuesday's (2/1/2022) House Environment & Agriculture Committee "work session" where HB1454 (groundwater speed and landfill siting) may be discussed by the committee, as well as the possibility that HB1420 (no new landfill permits until solid waste plan is updated) and HB1652 (NH Bottle Bill) could be brought up in executive session.  Unsure if work sessions are broadcast on the House youtube channel, but I will videotape any discussion or execing of our bills.   https://www.youtube.com/c/NHHouseofRepresentativesCommitteeStreaming

Also, the NH Forest Society is throwing their support behind HB1454!  https://forestsociety.org/blog-post/legislature-considers-bills-address-new-hampshire%E2%80%99s-solid-waste-disposal-challenges

Next up, on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 10AM, Room 100, State House, the NH Senate Ways & Means Committee will hold a public hearing for SB379, establishing the solid waste management fund and establishing a solid waste disposal surcharge of $1.50/ton.  NH municipalities shall be eligible to receive annual payments from this fund in the amount of $1.50/ton (a refund) for the quantity of solid waste for which the municipality was financially responsible for disposing in a NH disposal facility.  Waste from non-NH municipalities will not receive a refund, SORRY!  We support this bill and look forward to a healthy discussion about out-of-state waste. 

Senate Calendar Remote Testimony Page (vote your SUPPORT HERE):  http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

SENATE BILL 379

AN ACT establishing the solid waste management fund and establishing a solid waste disposal surcharge.

SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Rep. Ebel, Merr. 5; Rep. Suzanne Smith, Graf. 8; Rep. Grassie, Straf. 11

Bill text:  http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=2195&inflect=2

COMMITTEE: Ways and Means

Link to Senate Youtube livestream page to view Wednesday's hearing:  https://www.youtube.com/c/NewHampshireSenateLivestream/featured

Also, on Friday, February 4, 10:30am, LOB Room 301-303, the NH House Municipal and County Government Committee will hold a public hearing for HB1122, AN ACT authorizing municipalities to collect and resell construction and demolition debris.  SPONSORS: Rep. Egan, Graf. 2; Rep. Massimilla, Graf. 1; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 6; Rep. Weston, Graf. 8; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1.  Again, many thanks to our North Country elected state officials who are working so hard to address the inadequacies in our state solid waste policies and practices.  

To show your support for this bill, please register and vote here:  http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/

To view the committee hearing:  https://www.youtube.com/c/NHHouseofRepresentativesCommitteeStreaming

Finally, the public hearing for SB380, attached, "AN ACT relative to solid waste rules and landfill containment tests", will be held in early February and I will notify you once it is on the senate calendar.  This one is a doozy, folks, as it addresses many issues and has some fantastic bi-partisan sponsorship:(Prime) Hennessey (R), Watters (D), Jeb Bradley (R), Prentiss (D), Sherman (D), Ricciardi (R), Birdsell (R), Gannon (R), Whitley (D), Egan (D), Suzanne Smith (D), Massimilla (D), Tucker (D), Merner (R)

We are expecting great things from SB380!  Big thanks to Senator Hennessey for leading the charge on this one, and again, all of our wonderful North Country elected state officials who took the time to meet with us and work with us to address solid waste issues in our state.  

If you are as excited about this bill, as I am, feel free to send an email to the Senate E&NR Committee members, and be sure to cc the bill sponsors:  http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/committees/committee_details.aspx?cc=41

There's good reason why there is so much interest in solid waste matters in NH.  Over the past three years of this fight, many have come to realize that our state is being set up to become New England's dumping ground.  Thankfully, that has not been lost on our state senators and representatives in Concord!  (We sure wish Governor Sununu would get on board!)  There are a lot of environmentally-related bills this session, and for good reason.  All of them are so intertwined with our fight to save Forest Lake from a dangerous, irresponsible landfill project ,which will have far-reaching, negative impacts on many levels:  PFAS, food waste, C&D recycling, bottle bill, producer responsibility, litter, plastics, biosolids, single-use disposable convenience, landfill siting, etc.  

P.S.  Sorry, but one last thing.  Can you sign this petition that just came across my desk?  It's relative to...guess who?  Casella!  Seems their methods of depackaging food waste in Vermont, using a crusher, leaves tiny bits of plastics from food packaging in the compost they produce.  VPIRG in VT would like to stop that practice, in order to keep microplastics out of soil.  

Petition:  https://bit.ly/KeepPlasticOutofOurSoilPetitionVT

Background article:  https://bit.ly/MicroplasticsWillTaintFields

Energy Bills (Please note that the email thread on SB 424 has differing opinions on supporting this bill.)

See NH Bill Actions table rows 1 to 10 for bills for week #4.

Dan Weeks:  If Maine Can Do It So Can We

https://www.eagletimes.com/opinion/weeks-if-maine-can-do-it-so-can-we/article_bb4994e6-2980-5d52-ba7a-1df69860fabe.html

Robert’s article on Carbon Cash-back and John Gage’s response

https://www.volts.wtf/p/do-dividends-make-carbon-taxes-more?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Gage response:

I'm otherwise a big fan of Roberts.  I love his explanation about Discount Rates:  https://grist.org/article/discount-rates-a-boring-thing-you-should-know-about-with-otters/

But his personal opinion about whether any policy is politically possible is just that - an opinion.  As a CCL volunteer, I focus my efforts on helping create the political will for effective and equitable climate solutions, starting with the most important one - cash-back carbon pricing.  Roberts has worked for years against that by telling people carbon pricing is impossible.  That is frustrating.  He's respected, and his decade-long persistent negative take on carbon pricing is one of the things that helps make it more difficult.  It is going to happen eventually - other countries' BCAs will ensure that the US eventually prices carbon.  But there's a big difference in our climate future based on whether it happens this year or 8 years from now.

It's interesting that there's a group on the left that seems just as opposed to carbon pricing as the fringe on the right is - but for very different reasons.  David Roberts has been against carbon pricing for a long time.  Other people in this group include Jessie Jenkins and Leah Stokes.  They argue that carbon pricing is regressive and unpopular so it can't happen.  And they claim if it did happen the price would not go high enough to make the difference needed.  All of those arguments are resolved with a well-designed household dividend component.  We see bipartisan support in Congress for policies like Carbon Fee and Dividend.

Canada's dividend was not well-implemented - it is a subtle once-a-year rebate on Canadians' tax forms.  But that is being changed now.  The US Carbon Fee and Dividend bill has over 90 cosponsors (the Energy Innovation Act), uses a much more visible monthly rebate - the money goes to people via a direct deposit, benefits card credit, or check in the mail, to make sure they know about (and will protect) it.  The rebate makes this climate policy durable over future administrations, since most people will end up with more in their cash-back dividend than they pay in higher trickle-down prices from the carbon fee paid by fossil fuel producers.  Click on the "Personal Carbon Dividend Calculator" link a the top of this page to see how you'll come out: energyinnovationact.org/how-it-works/.

I don't take Roberts, Jenkins, and Stokes' opinions about viability too seriously.  Nothing is politically impossible just because it hasn't happened yet.  It came close in Washington state with a dividend, but the far left was caught off-guard and didn't understand the highly progressive impact of the rebate, and they fought it.  And Washington has since passed carbon pricing.

Carbon pricing is happening in 46 countries - including Carbon Fee and Dividend in Canada right now.  Listen to Prime Minister Trudeau talking about the magic of the dividend on the Carbon Cash-Back page (scroll down a half-page): https://www.carboncashback.org/carbon-cash-back#h.p_OYg519J_K16c.  The last part of this podcast with Catherine McKenna covers the same ground in more detail: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2x1bWJpYWVuZXJneWV4Y2hhbmdlLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz/episode/MTg2ZTJhMDktMzVmMy00NDRiLThlYTUtMjU1ZjI2ZjA2NWRm?ep=14

The New Hampshire Carbon Cash-Back citizens' petitioned warrant article shows how popular this solution is locally.  Of the 44 NH towns that voted on the carbon cash-back resolution, 75% of the towns it, some towns by 97% in favor!  carboncashback.org/celebration.

In fact, the US Senate is only a single vote away from supporting pricing carbon in BBB, and Manchin could support it too.  If Manchin hadn't objected to the social spending in BBB, it's quite possible he would have gone along with carbon pricing if WV was taken care of in the process.  Congress is now working to trim BBB down to a climate bill, and it's still possible carbon pricing may be included there as it evolves in the next few months.

The experts (academically trained economists) are in near-universal agreement that human society will fail to meet Paris and Glasgow climate objectives (hold warming to 2 or 1.5˚C) without including strong carbon pricing worldwide.  It's up to the US to push that meaningful price globally, which we can do with Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) once we have set a carbon price in our own economy.  The EU is doing it with CBAM, Canada, Japan, and the UK are looking into using BCAs as well. We could work with them to push all other countries along.

• “Explicit carbon prices remain a necessary condition of ambitious climate policies” - IPCC SR15 chapter 4.4.5.2

• “We cannot solve the climate crisis without effective carbon pricing.” - US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen

If you haven't explored En-ROADs yet, please do.  It lets you compare the power of different climate policies worldwide, and gives an objective perspective of the power of carbon pricing.  An En-ROADs 1.5 Solution Scenario - https://en-roads.climateinteractive.org/scenario.html?v=21.6.0&p39=250&p47=5&p50=5&p57=-10&p59=-84&p65=100&p67=64&g0=2&g1=62

A 15-minute video exploring the power of the CES that Jenkins/Stokes convinced President Biden and the House Democrats to pursue original in Build Back Better compared with what a moderate explicit carbon fee would do for US emissions reductions (and which would also support implementing BCAs to push our price globally, something CES does not do): https://t.co/AArktsIVsG

Here's a 4-minute demo of En-ROADS demo I present in my climate solutions class for high school students [17:54 - 22:00]: https://youtu.be/zfX2WV7kfz8?t=1068

As you get to know en-roads, you see just how important carbon pricing is for meeting our climate objectives.  We have to make it happen.  See attached for the elevator pitch for a good, popular, durable way to price carbon, and the Economists' Recommendation.  We can do this, with our without Roberts' support.

Email Threads 

• Hydro pumps:  https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/Bm2F2-8AzSc

• SB 424 discussion   https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/9i7TiCSHD_k/m/aGUMftPTAgAJ 

Another busy week. 

• Plastics Working Group Ten Towns • Tens Actions Kickoff  -  February 7

• NH Bill Actions

• Action items on legislation.  (Many are being reviewed 1/25. Take action by tonight.)

• Take a selfie to oppose the PUC order by today, January 24th

• How to take action on a legislative bill.

• Bottle Bill update

• Format to see who has signed in favor or opposition to bills (the Network is active.)

• Winning Words handout for effective testimony

Meetings

February 7:  Plastics Work Group Ten Towns • Ten Actions Toolkit Kickoff

New Hampshire Bill Actions - New Section of the NH Network Website

https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/work-groups/nhstate/NH-bills

Action Items

Environmental bills (thanks Jon Swan)

HB1547.  Relative to the authority of the department of environmental services and soil regulationHouse E&A Committee, Public Hearing: 

Tuesday, 1/25/2022 9:30 a.m   LOB 301-303

Bill Text:  https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1547/2022

To vote in support:  http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/

SB396  Relative to solid waste management (requires DES to contract with an engineer or hydrogeologist when evaluating a permit for a landfill) 

Senate E&NR Committee, Public Hearing 

 Tuesday, 1/25/22  10:00 a.m. Room 103, State House, Senate 

 Bill Text: https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/SB396/2022

To vote in support:  http://gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

HB1440  Relative to surface water quality standards for PFAS  

House RR&D Committee  Public Hearing:

Wednesday, 1/26/22  3:30 p.m. LOB 305-307  

Bill Text:  https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1440/2022

To vote in support: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/

HB1571  Increasing fines for littering and directing revenues to the fish and game department 

House CP&PS Committee,  Public Hearing:

Friday, 1/28/22, 10:30 a.m. LOB 202-204

Bill Text:  https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1571/2022

To vote in support:  http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/

ENERGY BILLS  (thanks Joe Kwasnik)

-HB1459-FN Relative to recycling of solar panels   

Oppose (see details below) 1/25  9:00 am  LOB306 

Recommend an “oppose” to this bill as it is too early in the development of solar panel rollout to consider this bill. Enacting this bill will chill the market for solar. Perhaps recycling should be considered in the future when panels are reaching their  end of life.  [Joe Kwasnik]

-HR1250 Requiring the PUC to  consider climate change  in making rate-setting decisions

Monitor 1/25  1:30 pm  LOB306 

-HB1645-FN Requiring notification to Renewable energy  customers-generators of issues related to RECs 

Support 1/25  2:30 pm    LOB306

-HB1464 Establish Commission to study feasibility & implementability of furthering electric vehicle implementation

Support                           Executive session, 1/25      3 pm LOB 201                                                  

-HB1258 Relative to the implementation of the DOE 

Monitor 1/25       3:30 pm LOB306 

-SB256 Establish a commission to study feasibility of replacing the Site Evaluation  Commission    

Support 1/25     9 am    SH103 

-SB261 Relative to net metering participation 

Monitor 1/25     9:30am SH103 

Taking a Position on a Bill

You can voice your position on the bill by going to the House Remote Sign In page. It takes approximately 3 minutes to do this. We are providing step-by-step instructions should you need them. Go to the page here.                   

1.     Select date of hearing (Jan. 18) on calendar at top of page.

2.     Select Committee from dropdown menu.

3.     Select the bill from the dropdown menu.

4.     Select Member of the Public from the dropdown menu.

5.     Click on I Support This Bill or I Oppose This Bill (then Continue).

6.     Add personal Information (then Continue).

7.     On the Final Review Page, be sure to check the box that says that the information you are providing is truthful (then Continue).

8.     Note that at the bottom of the page, you can click on Sign Up Again to go back to the beginning of this process and weigh in on another bill.

Take a Selfie (and send it to the governor by today, January 24th)

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/ARFXLzw83Bg

Bottle Bill Update

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/01/21/is-this-the-year-for-a-bottle-bill-in-new-hampshire/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8e19bafa-db29-4659-843a-d774b18a8bc9

Sign-in:  How to see who has registered and how they voted

• Go to the homepage of the NH General Court (the legislature) and on the right side go to “Links to Meeting Schedules.”  

• Click on fourth line down under House, “House Online Testimony Submissions.”   

• Click on Committee and use drop-down to select.  

• Then enter bill number.  The names and support, opposition or neutral comes up.  Doesn’t identify the submitters affiliations, just their names.

The Network is looking for input for future presentations.  

Please complete this survey.  https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/4ApuTbEkKXU

Feed Your Brain: On line Washington Post interview Governor  Sununu  - 11 am  Wednesday,  Jan. 19th

https://sununujan2022.splashthat.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=retention&utm_campaign=wp_pw_ret_WPLive_011622&wpisrc=pw_ret_WPLive_011622

Seatbelts on: The House and Senate are in session so there are a flood of bills. 

Immediate action items (TODAY) to consider.  Please offer your opinion tonight or testify tomorrow on these seven waste/plastic/landfill/energy bills.  

There are a million concerning facts about plastic, but know that effective recycling is a myth, and the best course to reduce plastics is making the producers responsible for its production.

Landfills are part of the same issue, and we need to be more intentional to prevent expanding landfills that either serve as a dumping ground for out of state waste or ineffective recycling programs.

Energy bills and there are a number this week.  HB 549 (passed by the House, in the Senate -hopefully with amendments - is seeking to override the PUC debacle of mid-November.)

If you have 25 hours in your day, and are concerned with issues beyond environment then consider visiting Kent Street Coalition's page.   Please note the number of legislation bills is overwhelming.  One needs to pick and choose.

(https://mailchi.mp/a4c5b448e73c/ksc-happenings-action-january-16-20126835)

ACTION ITEMS: detailed instruction offered below

• Plastics/waste legislation:  HB 1111 and HB 1652 - NECESSARY to ACT by TONIGHT.

• Landfill legislation:  HB1420, HB1454, HB1121  NECESSARY to ACT by TONIGHT.  

• NH Energy Saves Program and Electric vehicles  HB 549 and HB 1464 by TONIGHT

PLASTICS/WASTE: details on how to act.

We are in the midst of a plastics crisis that is growing exponentially. Two important bills to address this crisis will be heard in the NH House. We provide below detailed information to help you take action now.

HB1111 (commission to study Extended Producer Responsibility) and HB1652 (beverage container deposit), which we support, will be heard by the Environment and Agriculture Committee on Tuesday, January 18th. HB1111 will be heard at 9 am and HB1652 at 2:30 pm in the Legislative Office Building, Rm 301-303, Concord.

Here is a brief overview of each bill with a link to the full text.

HB 1111 “To Establish a Commission to Study Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)” would begin the movement toward the state’s highest priority in waste management: reducing it at the source. EPR shifts primary responsibility for the burden of waste away from consumers and municipalities and makes it a shared responsibility with producers of materials such as plastic that ends up as waste. Legislation can require producers and distributors to pay their fair share to local governments to cover the cost of recycling packages and products and dealing with waste from nonrecyclable products. Fees may be based on the amount, level of toxicity, and recycling or disposal difficulty of the product with funds being used to reimburse municipalities for recycling and waste management costs, incentivizing manufacturers to produce less waste in the first place. We support this bill.

HB 1652 "Relative to the Recycling of Beverage Containers" establishes a beverage container deposit program and directs the proceeds to the general fund and to the state recycling fund. Consumers would pay a 10 cent deposit to the retailer which would be refunded upon return of the container. A “bottle bill” will help reduce roadside litter, keep recyclable material out of landfills, provide cleaner material for bottlers, reduce municipality exposure to market fluctuations for recyclables, create new business opportunities, and increase state recycling rates. NH to date has declined to join most other Northeast states in placing a redemption fee on beverage containers ( see ME, MA, VT, CT, NY). We support this bill.

There are several ways that you can make your voice heard on these bills.

●      You can attend in person, sign in and support or oppose a bill, and if you choose, present testimony if you are comfortable being in a meeting where masks are optional and with people who have not necessarily been vaccinated. Some House members reported being infected with Covid last week.

●      You can email members of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee. Send an email expressing your position to all members of the committee using this address: HouseEnvironmentandAgricultureCommittee@leg.state.nh.us. If you choose this option, consider sending a copy of your email to Sponsors and Cosponsors of the bills.

●      You can call members of the Environment and Agriculture Committee to ask them to vote for these bills. It is acceptable to call their home numbers. to find their number, go to this page and click on the committee members name to get full information.

●      You can voice your position on the bill by going to the House Remote Sign In page. It takes approximately 3 minutes to do this. We are providing step-by-step instructions should you need them. Go to the page here.                   

1.     Select date of hearing (Jan. 18) on calendar at top of page.

2.     Select Committee from dropdown menu.

3.     Select the bill from the dropdown menu.

4.     Select Member of the Public from the dropdown menu.

5.     Click on I Support This Bill or I Oppose This Bill (then Continue).

6.     Add personal Information (then Continue).

7.     On the Final Review Page, be sure to check the box that says that the information you are providing is truthful (then Continue).

8.     Note that at the bottom of the page, you can click on Sign Up Again to go back to the beginning of this process and weigh in on another bill.

LANDFILLS: details on how to act.

On Tuesday, January 18, the NH Environment and Agricultural committee will be reviewing bills that are critical to our goal of stopping the landfill at Forest Lake and modernizing New Hampshire’s waste management policy. 

Please electronically register your support for these bills – HB1420, HB1454, HB1121 – by Monday evening. 

This process will take 5 minutes but each intention of support will influence the committee to send the bills to the house for a floor vote.

1. Visit the House hearing website here.

2. Select the date Jan 18

3. Select the committee: House Environment and Agriculture

4. Choose the Bill – HB1420, HB1454, or HB1121

5. Designate yourself as a Member of the Public

6. Select the option I Support This Bill

7. Click Continue

8. On the next screen enter your name, town, and e-mail address, then click Continue

9. On the next screen, confirm your selections by checking the box, and click Continue

10. Click Sign Up Again and repeat the process for the other two bills. 

You may also send an e-mail to houseenvironmentandagriculturecommittee@leg.state.nh.us expressing your support for this critically important legislature.

HB1420 Prohibiting the issuance of new landfill permits until the state’s solid waste plan is updated: https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1420/2022

HB1454 Relative to permits for the siting of new landfills, groundwater: https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1454/2022

HB1121 Relative to new solid waste sites, this bill requires an applicant for a new solid waste landfill to provide proof of insurance and obtain a surety bond against all damages: https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB1121/2022

ENERGY (see above on how to take action.)   Please note these bills are not in chronological order. (Because the emails sent to the NH Network did not translate well to the web, please use the link below for an html-formatted version.)

Energy Bills Scheduled for Hearing — Week of January 17, 2022

Hi Friends,

A lot going on including a 7 pm meeting tonight focused on federal Carbon Cash Back legislation.

Both IndepthNH (http://indepthnh.org)  and NH Bulletin (https://newhampshirebulletin.com) are excellent sources for all of this group’s interests and beyond.  Well worth your attention.

• Upcoming meetings (there are plenty!)

• Landfill Update and proposed bi-partisan legislation  (and an outstanding blog on fighting the Casella landfill proposal)

• Kent Street Coalition 6th Annual Capital Coalition 2022 Legislative Review. 

• PUC update, action and action plan  (Keene model and Don Kreis appeal)

• Microplastics and our lakes presentation opportunity

• Meetings (details for various meetings)

MEETINGS:  (Zoom links sent 24 hours prior to meetings or in this summary)

January 7:   7 pm Citizens Climate Carbon Cash back meeting

January 9:   5 pm Plastics WG (finalizing plans for February kickoff  “10 Towns/10 Actions)

January 10:  5:30 Network Monthly Meeting (community power: democratizing energy)

January 11:  4:00  Communications WG CHANGED TO JAN. 12 to Work with the PWG

January 11:  7 pm Legislative WG focusing on NH Saves program,Triennial Efficiency Plan  

                    and environmental legislation

January 12  4 pm Plastics WG  messaging workshop for February 7 kickoff.  

January 13  6:30 Kent Street Coalition Annual Legislative Review

January 21  ESSE meeting (PUC order)

January 24:  2 pm  (Residential Ratepayers Advisory Board -PUC order)

LANDFILLS and our state

Landfill update and proposed legislation.  Jon Swan writes, “I've attached our updated "environmental" legislation excel sheet for anyone interested.  I've also attached a news story on SB380, a bi-partisan bill designed to tackle out of state waste ala VT's example of requiring muni waste management plans...strong bi-partisan support in the Senate.  January 18 is going to be a busy day for us with a lot of our landfill legislation hearings taking place that day.  We're excited about our bottle bill, too!!”

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/save++forest/FMfcgzGmtNbPKZZlPvrsthvSBNbPMnNt

Excellent blog on the Casella landfill proposal and the fight against it

https://saveforestlake.com/

Plastics WG:  Feel free to join either (both) of the upcoming meetings to plan the 10 Towns/10 Actions Initiative.  Kickoff date is February 7th and will be the focus of the Network’s February meeting.

MEETING DETAILS

Citizen’s Climate Carbon Cashback

https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMd

 1-929-205-6099 Meeting ID 9831200408 Meeting Passcode 1632

Whether you can join us or not, please consider spending a few minutes right now to send some quick emails to help give Congress and President Biden the courage they need to include carbon pricing in Build Back Better right now from cclusa.org/get-loud-cclusa.org/get-loud-take-action.  Including this critical climate policy in BBB is a real possibility. Senator Whitehouse is spearheading this effort, Senator Wyden (the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee) and the Democratic leadership of the Senate also support it.  Your input matters because it can help our NH Delegation feel good about it too.  

A strong carbon price as found in Carbon Fee and Dividend will reduce US GHG emissions by 40% in twelve years.  When combined with complementary policies, it will enable Biden to achieve his goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and put us on track to be net-zero by 2050 (carboncashback.org/benefits).

Why is carbon pricing so important, and cash-back carbon pricing such a good way to do it?  Here's a 3-minute video of Prime Minister Trudeau talking about how it's working in Canada right now:  https://www.youtube.com/embed/3fF4XK2X3KA?&start=1378&end=1552&autoplay

NETWORK MONTHLY MEETING 

Community Power Coalition of NH Update and Relevant Legislation

Featured speakers: Lisa Sweet, Director CPCNH, and Henry Herndon, Herndon Enterprises. 

Description: Community Power, made possible by recent legislative changes, enables cities, towns and counties to democratize their energy supply and have greater local control over sourcing electricity on behalf of their residents and businesses. Benefits can include lower costs, increased renewable energy, and development of local energy resources. Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) is a new nonprofit, created to support cities and towns towards launching programs. Please join us to learn more about Community Power, CPCNH, and relevant legislation at the NH State House.

SIGN UP HERE or https://forms.gle/x35DvdVmyXmhLZpH7 and you will receive a zoom link by Jan 3, 2022. Please share with your friends and networks.

Kent Street Coalition 6th Annual Capital Coalition 2022 Legislative Review.

https://forms.gle/vbiFfuL4wNfF19HW6

If you sign up via the form above, you will be sent the zoom link on Thursday afternoon prior to the meeting.  If you sign up but are unable to attend, you will receive a recording of the meeting a few days after the meeting.

We have gathered a wonderful cast of knowledgeable legislators who are eager to share their thoughts on the upcoming Legislative session.

PUC action: (3 opportunities)

Make your voice heard and follow this model

https://cleanenergykeene.com

EESE is a subcommittee of the PUC that focuses on energy.  Its January 21st meeting will focus on the PUC order

A request from Don Kreis (State Consumer Advocate)

If you are concerned about the future of the NHSaves programs and the state’s Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS), please consider attending the upcoming meeting of the Residential Ratepayers Advisory Board (RRAB).  The meeting will take place at 2:00 p.m. January 24th in Hearing Room A (the PUC hearing room) at the Walker Building (21 S. Fruit Street) in Concord.

Additional information from Don Kries.  

“Ordinarily the RRAB is a reasonably quiet forum.  Not this time……About a month ago, in response to the PUC’s outrageous order gutting the NHSaves/EERS programs, I wrote this edition of my InDepthNH.org column.  The PUC dismissed the benefit/cost test used to screen energy efficiency programs – a test the agency had previously approved – as nothing but incomprehensible subjective baloney.  (See page 39 of the PUC order.)  I responded by saying the PUC is “dead bang wrong” about both the subjectivity and opaqueness of the benefit/cost test.” 

The Residential Ratepayers Advisory Board is just that – advisory.  It does not have the authority to direct me to change any positions I take as the state’s Consumer Advocate.  And, to be fair, I know every member of the RRAB understands they are just advisors to the OCA.  I see this latest turn of events as simply an example of the RRAB taking that advisory role seriously.  I welcome it.

  I think the January 24 meeting could well be an important public discussion of matters that go to the heart of whether it makes sense for New Hampshire to continue to stand with every other state in the region by treating energy efficiency as an essential component of utility service.”

Microplastics and Our Lakes

Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

You may have heard that microplastics are making their way into our oceans but did you know they are also found in our lakes in New Hampshire? Tune in to learn how the Green Mountain Conservation Group has been studying microplastics in the Ossipee Lake system, what they’ve found, and what it means for water quality and food webs.

Presented by Jill M. Emerson, MB (ASCP)CM, Water Quality Coordinator, Green Mountain Conservation Group.

Register here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMucemrpzgjHNWBo8I2XabPqiH96iqLPUdR