Weekly Update 9/09/24

                                                                      What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

                                                                                                  Week of September 9th

-SAVE THE DATE, SEPTEMBER 23RD, FOR THE UPCOMING NETWORK MEETING.

NH is blessed with an exceptionally rich network of rivers, streams and wetlands along

with nearly 1000 public lakes and ponds. Monitoring and managing a complex system like our waterways is a task that requires both individual competency and institutional efficiency. We have the former in our state; on Sept 23 we'll discuss the latter -- and how the public can help.

-Link to the summary of the Third Annual Network Summit including goals for 2024-5

(Full descript is listened in “Feed Your Brain”)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18xxA1PI5eylh716PvNX_Yvknk4slP1OudZx4_i6XdAo/edit

-Climate WG meets tomorrow, 9/11.  See the link and comments by John Gage in “Feed Your Brain” on climate activism

-Members of the Energy Working Group met to plan for the year.  Please take a minute to read their minutes, plans for this year and invitation to join.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aZl4-khMlyCMGf3zRB1Lde1GxytsQrrI1kIPqCAcwrU/edit

-Here is a treasury of election resources we have collected this summer.  

Please share with others - and let us know of other information that could help us all.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-kboFGeMEGi4eUGRph7cq24U-5Mk9QcSfgd93KRYx44/edit

-IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING NH LANDFILL.  New information and funding requests.

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

                                                                                   MEETINGS

-September 11 7 pm   Climate Working Group

https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09.  

We'll discuss climate voter actions, and if there's interest and time, I'll present and offer a Q&A on "What More Should the US Do on Climate."

-September 14 Design Thinking Workshop

We (PowerPLAY) will be hosting a one-day intensive in Design Thinking as it relates to climate change issues, and how interactive theater can be used to explore this problem-solving process.  It will be held on Sat, Sept 14 from 10am-1pm- lunch, then 2pm-5pm in room M213. It is free. (Paid for by an NFRF- NSF grant).  The workshop will be conducted primarily by Dr. Graham Strickert,  Associate Professor, Director of Placements (MWS) Master of Water Security,  School of Environment and Sustainability and the Global Institute for Water Security.

Email <David.Kaye@unh.edu> to  attend.

Designing The Futures We Need: Connecting Design Thinking, Applied Theatre, and Social Science for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

In this one-day interactive workshop, participants will explore how to integrate design thinking, applied theatre, and social science methodologies to understand community choices about climate change mitigation and adaptation. Special attention will be given to how boundary objects can be harnessed to bridge different knowledge systems; and some of the tools available to measure and understand emergence in collaborative processes.

-September 22  6 pm  Plastics WG  

Here are the notes from tonight’s meeting - a rich discussion by all measures, thanks to all who attended. Consider checking out the various links that came up in discussion.

One outcome of our priorities discussions is the formation of four teams to further the work of the PWG:

• Education - (Patsy leading) writing LTEs, tabling, panels, fact sheet development, public/legislator education 

• Research - (Cindy leading) researching sponsors & co-sponsors of plastics related bills from the last legislative session to develop a master list of supportive legislators for outreach purposes

• Legislation - (Sherry leading) researching and tracking bills, preparing fact sheets, testifying, working with legislators

• Collective Action - (Kristine & Cindy leading) coordinated activities that are carried out across the state or in several communities

-Week of September 24th.   Numerous workshops including panel discussions by top climate and EPA officials

Visit the Ceres at Climate Week page to explore all the events for and discover the energy and innovation we’re bringing to Climate Week NYC 2024.

-September 26th  How To Talk About the Environmental Crisis

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/k80rUpmMU48?pli=1

                                                                                                FEED YOUR BRAIN

3rd Annual Summit Summary:

On the final Saturday of August,   51 intrepid environmentalists representing as many different organizations, gathered to meet with like-minded folks, sorting out issues and priorities for their work in the coming year.

Opening remarks by Chris Skogland, Director of Energy Transition at Clean Energy NH, summed up NH’s environmental successes, challenges and opportunities. Even as the state’s population has increased, we have significantly decreased our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.  Even so, record-breaking climate events require us to address “Human activities causing complex interrelated activities.”  Working together keeps us from feeling overwhelmed, sharing the diversities of approach in the room and in the state. Chris especially urged us to contribute to the state’s Comprehensive Action Plan and to use the resources of Clean Energy NH’s circuit riders. (See the presentation at https://bit.ly/ChrisSkoglundPPT)

In his remarks on the NH legislative process, Representative Nick Germana listed steps taken as a bill is prepared – firstly determining the financial impact, then finding allies in related committees and in both parties, before meticulous preparation to address arguments pro and con. He takes the long-term view in looking at a bill: it may be considered over several years, inching forward, before adoption. The glorious exception was the overnight public, bipartisan support for landfill reform. Nick credited the planning of North Country Alliance for Balanced Change, which brought together a coalition of legislators and stakeholders from many sectors to work in unison, and found a media champion at WMUR. 

These hopeful words guided break-out groups on “actionable” items to focus on this year.  Items that rose to the top included:

• renewable energy options (including community solar, public EV charging, and plans for a heat pump accelerator plan in NH)

• energy efficiency (education and outreach, the needs of low- and middle-income people and those not owning a house, saving NH Saves, retrofitting)

• waste reduction (a bottle bill, plastic waste, composting, working with the Solid Waste committee)

• food systems transformation (the connection to climate change, local and seasonal foods, eliminating food deserts, diverting food waste)

• preparing the state for carbon pricing at the national level.

For each of these topics, ideas were generated for working on critical legislation, providing greater community education, and building public engagement.   

With 5 legislators and a representative from the Department of Environmental Services participating in the breakout discussions, we remained optimistically within the range of the achievable. Attendees had listed their goals in attending the summit, and the most frequent response was “networking and learning from each other” – which the Summit achieved. A follow-up meeting is planned for early October.

The AI summary of the Summit is available at https://bit.ly/Summit24summaryAI 

-Nature’s blueprint for building prosperity

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

-Climate Action Film Series (begins September 13)

https://groups.google.com/g/nh-environment-energy-and-climate-network/c/uXJN1JVSjPc

-Energy and Federal Updates (and grants) from Senator Shaheen’s office

-NH Fiscal Policy Institute is an informative website for everything fiscal in New Hampshire

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

-North Country Alliance -  Update on NH Landfills

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQVzNxnTktVzbdZTGzQltFmNGjr?compose=GTvVlcSDZPPHbrHTqkwKPMKmCZLzgJFvNHDssnzVlhwKMqjrrZDZsFNQtBZRWgvLCGkRrkCbrchQZ

-Climate thoughts (from John Gage)

What has worked to fight climate change?

• Policies where someone pays for polluting, major new study finds: apnews.com/article/climate-change-price-hike-policies-emissions-1d211ff66f7ab768a69466b9af281c79

• “The key ingredient if you want to reduce emissions is that you have pricing in the policy mix,” said study co-author Nicolas Koch, a climate economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. “If subsidies and regulations come alone or in a mix with each other, you won’t see major emission reductions. But when price instruments come in the mix like a carbon energy tax, they will deliver those substantial emissions reductions.”

• Full report: "Climate policies that achieved major emission reductions: Global evidence from two decades" - science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl6547

What is the most powerful, equitable, and far-reaching way to price climate pollution?  A border-adjusted, cash-back carbon fee on fossil fuel production and imports - the Carbon Fee and Dividend Policy. It's time to close the Rising US Carbon Price Gap: bit.ly/carbon-price-gap-pdf.

Why vilify the oil and gas industry? A four-decade history of deceit: heated.world/p/why-vilify-the-oil-and-gas-industry.

"We won't solve the climate crisis unless we solve the misinformation crisis." - PBS Frontline: The Power of Big Oil:

• Part 1 - Denial: https://youtu.be/QAAbcNl4Lb8

• Part 3 - Delay: https://youtu.be/R8UOJqs5F9Q

• Part 2 - Doubt: https://youtu.be/qMe-BYUIPLU

Heads up to climate voters:

• Warning: Budget, Finance Committees Launch Joint Investigation into Donald Trump’s Quid Pro Quo Offer to Big Oil: for $1 billion in campaign contributions from fossil fuel executives, Trump has offered to undo decades of efforts to clean up the energy sector - https://www.budget.senate.gov/chairman/newsroom/press/budget-finance-committees-launch-joint-investigation-into-donald-trumps-quid-pro-quo-offer-to-big-oil-

• When you hear a Conservative candidate say they support “All-of-the-above energy options” and “the market should pick the winners and losers,” tell them we are getting too much pollution because prices do not accurately inform market actors about the true costs. Ask them what they plan to do to address the market's failure to account for the external costs of pollution in the price of fossil fuels. Then, share this article with them: The Winning Conservative Climate Solution.

• Kamala Harris listens to experts on climate policy (Economists' Statement): "Harris released a comprehensive climate plan ahead of the Climate Crisis Town Hall in September that includes a carbon fee-and-dividend" - https://climate-xchange.org/2019/11/where-2020-democrats-stand-on-carbon-pricing.

How can we get cheap, abundant energy? En-ROADS demonstrates that the path is through a policy mix that includes a cash-back pollution fee: if we rebate all the money collected from a carbon producer polluter fee back to households, our net energy costs will be less than in the current policy scenario during the 25-year transition to a clean energy economy, then fall dramatically below the cost of a fossil fuel-based future.

                                                              OPPORTUNITIES

https://www.nhacc.org

CHECK HERE FOR Funding opportunities to hire student interns for local conservation projects

-Grassroots Fund Grants

WHO WE FUND

• Community groups based in one of the six New England States (NH, CT, RI, VT, ME, MA)

• Groups do NOT need 501c3 status or a fiscal sponsor! Just a bank account in the group’s name.

• Groups with annual budgets of less than $100,000 and less than the equivalent of 2 full time paid staff (ie. no more than 80 hours of paid staff time per week) are given priority 

Seed Grants - Up to $1,000

Rolling Deadline ; ~6 week turn-around

This grant program is geared towards newly forming groups, which we consider as those that have been working together (formally or informally) for maybe a year or two, or less. Typically, these groups are still coalescing, determining decision making structures, establishing core decision makers and pathways for community input/voice. As your program matures and progresses, we invite you to reapply to the Grow grant program. 

Questions? - Contact Tess Beem at tess@grassrootsfund.org 

Grow Grants - $1,000 - $4,000 

Upcoming Fall Deadline - Tues Sept 17 ; Grants announced end of December 

The Grow grant program is geared towards groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grow grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes. See here for a short video overview (7 min) of the Grow program.

Questions? - Contact Mary Jones at mary@grassrootsfund.org 

We are an Environmental Justice (EJ) funder, and interpret EJ work broadly. Funding decisions are made based on a group’s alignment with our Guiding Practices. To get a sense of the kinds of projects that have received funding, you can check out our interactive Grantee Map. 

Mary Jones, Program Manager - Grow Grants Program

(she/her/hers)

New England Grassroots Environment Fund

(603) 905 9915 (ex. 2) - main office

-I’m reaching out to invite members of New Hampshire Network for Environment, Energy & Climate to join us as Community Grant Readers for this Fall’s Grow grant round. As you may remember, feedback from readers is the first stage of our review process. Scores, questions and comments from readers guide staff follow up calls with applicants and influence final funding outcomes. 

As we seek to live out the Guiding Practice of Shifting Power in our own work, the Grassroots Fund actively tries to blur the lines between grantee and grantor and especially encourages former grantees to participate as readers. You bring an invaluable perspective to Environmental Justice work in our region and we want your input to help us make decisions on future grant awards. 

Anyone can sign up to be a volunteer Community Grant Reader using this Reader Registration Form. The deadline to register is Wednesday, September 18. 

                                                    Weekly Update 8/12/24

                                                                      What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

   Week of August 12

MEMBERS OF NH Network Energy Group: Please help ensure a robust discussion of priorities for sustainable energy sources and transmission. We hope you'll join us!

Dear Friends & Colleagues, energy leaders,

You are warmly invited to join with New Hampshire's environmental community, legislators, funders, members of municipal energy & conservation committees

on 

Aug 24, 2024, 9:00am-12:30pm, in Plymouth, NH

for

New Hampshire’s 3rd Annual Statewide Environmental Summit –

Keep NH Green!

Whether you are concerned about 

• emerging data on PFAS and microplastics in our food and our bodies,

• critical energy system reforms proceeding at a glacial pace,

• truckloads of solid waste appearing in our towns from out of state, or

• ongoing denial (in public and in policy) of the gravity of the climate emergency,

a key part of the solution is people gathering to share ideas, inspiration and motivation. 

Register here: bit.ly/2024EnvironmentalSummit

Facts:

• Our state is replete with awesome environmental groups working in their own specific areas of expertise or control,

• The vast majority of NH residents value our environmental health and are concerned about long-standing disconnects in public policy making us the “environmental laggard” of New England.

We can do better!

Last year's Keep NH Green Summit, presided over by Jon Swan (Save Forest Lake), was a celebration of the many initiatives thriving in New Hampshire, and an incubator for new legislation, alliances, and funding…

Don't be left out! Join us to discuss priorities and strategize for the coming year. 

Organized by NH Network for Environment, Energy & Climate and supported by the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund (NEGEF).

NH Environmental Summit 2024 – Keep NH Green

at Starr King UU Fellowship, 101 Fairgrounds Rd, Plymouth, NH 03264

Saturday, August 24, 2024

- Tentative schedule -

9:00 – Coffee, tea & mingling

9:30 – Words of welcome

9:35 – Remarks by Chris Skoglund (CENH)

9:45-10:00 – Group Conversation 1: What should our priorities be for the year?

10:00-10:45 – Report Out & Discussion 

10:45-11:00 – Break

11:00 – Remarks by Rep. Nicholas Germana

11:15-11:30 – Group Conversation 2: What potential solutions do we see?

11:30-12:15 – Report Out & Discussion

12:15-12:30 – Closing

After 12:30 Eat lunch inside or outdoors, participate in a discussion of election strategies, a Citizens Climate Lobby meeting, or chat with others …

Register here: bit.ly/2024EnvironmentalSummit

WHAT TO BRING: 

> Your own coffee mug, napkin, plate - let’s make this a ZERO WASTE event!

> A hand-drawn graph, table, list or other schematic showing your organization’s current initiatives, challenges, goals…  We’ll make a “gallery” of these posters, to learn more about each other and our priorities.

NH good news:  Grid connection legislation is now law.

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/briefs/department-of-energy-to-set-uniform-procedures-for-interconnecting-energy-projects-to-the-grid/

Global good news:   Number of plastic bags found on UK beaches down 80% since charge introduced https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/29/number-of-plastic-bags-found-on-uk-beaches-down-80-since-charge-introduced?CMP=share_btn_url 

                                                            ORDER THESE POSTCARDS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY 

Help reach independent voters in your region with a message about your local environmental concerns.   

Fill out the form at bit.ly/PostcardsPlease

The message on the back reads "In our community, we’re concerned about:____ …" and gives you space to write in the environmental issues particular to your locality:  

• Protecting the watershed? 

• Need for EV charging? 

• Testing for lead in homes and local schools?  

• A solar array for the hospital or health facility?  

• Poor air quality from trash incineration?  

• Will my children be able to ski or skate in the winter?  

What gets written here is up to you and your local postcarding team.

Addressees are "registered Independents who are infrequent voters." Postcards have been proven to work! Tell us your town, and we will tell you the number of addresses there are. Then you can let us know the number of postcards you’ll commit to sending.   

We'll supply your postcards and addresses at the August 24 Keep NH Green Environmental Summit. 

If you're not attending the Summit, we'll make other arrangements with you for getting the postcards.

Thanks to New England Grassroots Environmental Fund for funding the postcards, and thanks to 350NH for providing the addresses. If postage is a hardship, we can supply some. If you can supply your own postage, we’ll be able to provide more for others.

Please fill out the form at bit.ly/PostcardsPlease by August 12, so we can get the postcards to you by August 24. Completed postcards should be mailed out by September 10 or soon after.   

We’ve planned to print 5000 postcards, but will be glad to print more!

Questions?  Email newhampshirenetwork@gmail.org

                                                                                                            Meetings

August 15th:   UUActionNH  has monthly meetings (meet each 3rd Thursday of the month) to share issues of environmental importance.  Join them on August 15th for a webinar on composting.   

https://secure.everyaction.com/pdX12RjP1Ei_FRUci01MoQ2

August 20:   NH Healthy Climate  (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action):  Climate cafe meeting

https://17938795747767988963.googlegroups.com/attach/3fdb8ecdc390c/820%20Concord%20Climate%20Cafe.jpg?part=0.1&view=1&vt=ANaJVrEX82K2n9G4KO9l6uqiZ3VzXVa6Ar6pK6MjeNZfsyzEB__c-HZFkLYcqKawG-fI240zT7iag1_fJUt4mvPWlq8jZnp6hTMxELPw1NJOgWQxGo-bZnY

                                                    Weekly Update 8/05/24

                                                                      What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

-Join us for the New Hampshire Network 3rd Annual Green Summit - August 24th -to collaborate on statewide initiatives for a sustainable NH.  

Register at  bit.ly/EnvironmentalSummit

-The BIG news this week is the signing of HB 1649 which limits PFAS inclusion in a number of products.  Congrats to Representative Ebel and all who worked on this bill’s passage and signing!  An August 2nd press release from her office.

“Landmark legislation, HB 1649, became law today, prohibiting many commonly used consumer products with harmful PFAS from being sold in our state, including food packaging, children’s products, cosmetics, feminine hygiene products, carpets and furniture.  Supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition, this hard-won effort will start to reduce PFAS use in New Hampshire, already so greatly burdened by forever chemical contamination, protecting our health, our drinking water and our environment.

This bill also ensures that industries will be held strictly liable to the state for cleanup, restoration, and other remediation costs due to PFAS contamination, while also creating a private right of action for individuals whose wells have been contaminated.  

Granite Staters have the right to trust the products they buy and their drinking water without fear of negative, long-term health impacts. HB 1649's passage is a major, common-sense step to protect Granite Staters' health and our irreplaceable New Hampshire environment. Requiring PFAS to be removed from consumer products that we use daily and ensuring proper PFAS pollution cleanup is vital. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we walk on should be free of forever chemicals. We deserve nothing less.”

                                                                         AUGUST MEETING OPPORTUNITIES:

August 7th:  Join Responsible Environmental Protection for New Hampshire & The League of Conservation Voters for a Greener Granite State!  An Evening in Support of Candidates for State Office in NH

RSVP to join us in Concord here: Concord Event with Ro Khanna and REP-NH/LCV Wednesday, 8/7/24 - 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (google.com)

August 10th:  Join the 250th Bethlehem town celebration and advocate for “Save Forest Lake” 

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

August 15th:   UUActionNH  has monthly meetings (meet each 3rd Thursday of the month) to share issues of environmental importance.  Join them on August 15th for a webinar on composting.   

https://secure.everyaction.com/pdX12RjP1Ei_FRUci01MoQ2

August 20:   NH Healthy Climate  (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action):  Climate cafe meeting

https://17938795747767988963.googlegroups.com/attach/3fdb8ecdc390c/820%20Concord%20Climate%20Cafe.jpg?part=0.1&view=1&vt=ANaJVrEX82K2n9G4KO9l6uqiZ3VzXVa6Ar6pK6MjeNZfsyzEB__c-HZFkLYcqKawG-fI240zT7iag1_fJUt4mvPWlq8jZnp6hTMxELPw1NJOgWQxGo-bZnY

                                         -Decision 2024 - Making the ENVIRONMENT an election PRIORITY.   

A portion, albeit large portion, of this week’s summary includes past suggestions for becoming involved in the fall primary and the November election.  People will choose to volunteer at different times, so previous week’s suggestions are offered, again.  Pick and choose what is most appealing to you.

Postcards and canvassing are effective tools, and knocking on doors is already in progress.  Contact your local candidates or favored political party to participate.   Here is a link to several postcard writing options.

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

Did you catch the NH Network's three recent climate events?  Each provided a different aspect of climate solutions advocacy with valuable information from experts - these are all well worth your time:

• Climate Solutions Update (En-ROADS 2024 Update)

• How to Run a Local Climate Cafe

• Climate Voters Unite!

• Join online: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09

                                                                                                 Ask the Candidates:

We at NH Healthy Climate (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action) are asking our constituents to attend local candidate forums and ask pointed questions about the candidate’s commitment to climate action.    We have prepared a set of sample questions as prompts:

Some sample Questions for Candidates:

1. Do you feel the NH legislature should act to support efforts by individuals, businesses, municipalities and utilities at reducing the rate of climate change that is occurring?

2. In light of its impact on our economy via reduced winter tourism and costly recovery from extreme weather events, and on the health of our citizens via vector-borne illness, air and water quality, heat stress and food reliability, what role do you think our state government should play in reducing human contributions to climate change?

3. Do you believe that the New Hampshire legislature should address the production of greenhouse gas emissions that is fueling the well-documented climate changes we have been seeing in New Hampshire?

4. As predicted by the scientists who study climate change, we in New Hampshire have seen a 75% increase in storms with more than 2” of rain in 24 hours, and other examples of extreme weather.  If elected to the legislature, how would you address this increasing risk to our homes, roads, bridges, and businesses?

5. In central NH, we have seen a doubling of days with a heat index over 90 degrees since 1980. How should the state government respond to the increasing number of high heat days and their potential impact on the health of New Hampshire citizens, particularly the young and old?

6. What role do you believe that individuals, corporations, municipalities and state governments have in slowing the observed changes in our climate?  Which can have the most impact?

7. What role do you think the state government should play in helping NH residents to become more resilient in the face of weather emergencies and effectively plan for them?

8. What specific programs or policies would you support to address the impact of extreme weather or climate change?

9. Do you feel the NH legislature should play a role in promoting clean energy and the electric grid upgrades that would be required?

10. Do you believe that our state PUC may need clearer guidance from the legislature in assuring funding for energy conservation through weatherization programs (i.e. NH Saves) and promoting clean energy source development?

11. Do you believe the State should take action to promote the development of off-shore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine?

                                                                           ELECTION HELP from NH Network:

                                                         Talking points, Environment/Energy/Climate - NH issues

Environmental bills were often passed in a bipartisan manner in the past. This year, in many cases, whether or not a bill passed depended on who showed up to vote. We need to help make sure that legislators who care about the environment are elected, well-informed, and present at the State House for critical votes! 

Weather is getting more variable and more extreme. Clear and universally accepted scientific evidence points to the burning of fossil fuels as the main reason for this, since it produces carbon dioxide, methane and other gasses that trap the sun's energy in the atmosphere, warming the planet. This means that average global and local temperatures have been rising for decades, and that strong storms and wildfires are becoming more likely. The impacts of global warming are already affecting New Hampshire residents and communities:

• Higher temperatures and longer heat waves harm humans, especially the young and the old; flooding damages homes, businesses, roads; both heat and flooding destroy crops.  

• Longer summers mean the “vectors” (mosquitoes, ticks) that carry disease have longer to get established and do their harm.  

• Warmer waters allow more algal blooms (cyanobacteria) to invade our waterways, making the water unsafe for swimming and for pets.

• Will our children see NH winters? Will they get to ski NH’s mountains? Skate, play ice hockey or go ice fishing on our ponds? Hike in the summer? 

In spite of these real impacts, several NH beneficial bills were defeated in the legislature. These bills would have:

• Established a Climate & Health Protection Program in the NH Department of Health & Human Services; 

• Included language in the NH Constitution that “the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations”;

• Expanded the Comprehensive State Development plan to protect natural resources, identify environmental threats, and consider the mounting effects of cumulative threats to air, water and land; and

• Identified all old growth and mature forests on public land. (Why do old and wild forests matter? Not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and absorbing flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.)

Not only were bills to protect New Hampshire's environment defeated, but numerous bills that would have supported the transition to cleaner, more affordable energy sources were also voted down. These bills targeted not only clean energy generation, such as solar and batteries, but also transportation and the building sectors. 

• Our 5 New England neighbors have committed to 80% or more renewable energy sources by 2050, while NH’s current Renewable Portfolio Standard is only 25% by 2025. Once again this year, no plan was accepted for increasing NH’s use of renewable energy, now proven to be both reliable and less expensive than fossil fuels. Yet on the State House floor, legislators continued the lie that only fossil fuels provide energy security.

In New Hampshire, the transportation sector is the largest consumer of energy and main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in air pollutants. However, the NH legislature voted down several bills, which included:

• Providing incentives for the purchase or leasing of Electric Vehicles (EVs), including for low income residents; and

• Developing light rail service in the state.

• The current administration has been sitting on transportation funds from a legal settlement with VW, yet has not used the funds to create EV charging stations or help reduce other transportation emissions.

Our buildings are another huge source of energy consumption, energy costs, and GHG emissions.  But the legislature undermined efforts to improve building energy consumption, with impacts that will last for decades. This included:

• Adopting new building codes while rejecting more energy-efficient building standards (which would have reduced energy bills for occupants); and 

• Prohibiting towns and cities from adopting more ambitious building energy efficiency standards.

• Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) continues whittling away at NH Saves, which helps with energy efficiency to homes and businesses.

For renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, we need the Department of Energy to permit (not obstruct or slow-walk):

• Many more transmission lines and newer transmission lines to connect the energy source to the home or business that would use it (that’s what is meant by “update the grid”);

• More reasonable reimbursements for homes and businesses that have spent money for solar arrays, expecting to sell power back to the grid to help pay for their investment (that’s “net metering”);

• Larger net metering projects, including for nonprofits like hospitals;

• Community solar projects that would allow renters or people whose homes are shaded to invest in large solar arrays near their communities;

• Offshore wind – New England’s most under-utilized natural resource.

Additional Environmental Issues: We need help to keep the land, air and water clean.

The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has determined that NH already has sufficient landfill capacity to serve us at least another 8 years, yet bills that would have stemmed the tide of new landfill construction and expansion were defeated:

• Putting a moratorium on landfill permits until 2028, giving us time to get the technical information we need, and to address health and environmental concerns heard throughout the state. 

• Reducing the amount of trash that comes from out of state, from the current 50% to a manageable 15%.

• The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has been relaxing landfill standards, even as proposed landfills threaten pristine lakes.

• Landfills are a lucrative business for private waste management companies, who are known to have helped shape DES regulations to their advantage.

• Other bills would have reduced our solid waste problems, but were defeated:

  • restricting single use plastic, 

  • setting up a bottle deposit system,

  • standardizing labels for items that can be composted or recycled.

• The lax regulatory standards of NH encourage facilities like the St. Gobain factory (responsible for much of NH’s current PFAS) and landfill businesses to situate themselves in NH.

Also, a bill to identify all old growth and mature forests on public land in NH was defeated.  Why do old and wild forests matter?  Put simply: not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and sinking flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.

                                                                         FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

 -EPA New England is pleased to announce that the Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, November 1, 11:59 p.m. 

Project Eligibility 

The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that: 

• Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern and/or sensitive populations [e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk]). 

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks. 

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects. 

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems. 

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Eligible projects under this program must be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas. More detailed descriptions of the target areas can be found in the 2024 Request for Applications. 

Information Sessions To provide an overview of the application process and address questions from prospective applicants, the Healthy Communities Grant Program will host four virtual information sessions before the application

 deadline. Sessions will take place at the following times: 

• August 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• September 10, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• October 2, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET 

Please visit the Healthy Communities webpage to register for a session, and for further details.

                                                    Weekly Update 7/29/24

                                                                      What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

   Week of July 29

-There is a lot in this week’s summary including several suggestions for raising climate issues as the election approaches.  Pick and choose what is most effective for you.

-Join us for the New Hampshire Network 3rd Annual Green Summit - August 24th -to collaborate on statewide initiatives for a sustainable NH.  

Register at  bit.ly/EnvironmentalSummit

-Decision 2024 - Making the ENVIRONMENT an election PRIORITY.   Regardless of one’s political persuasion, each of us cares about our family’s health and the NH way of life.    Network summaries will offer tips for meeting/engaging candidates and their positions on energy, climate and the environment.   Spot a candidate?  Use the opportunity to ask them a question about the environment!   OPTIONS OFFERED BELOW.

Postcards and canvassing are effective tools, and knocking on doors in already in progress.  Contact your local candidates or favored political party to participate.   Here is a link to several postcard writing options.

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

Did you catch the NH Network's three recent climate events?  Each provided a different aspect of climate solutions advocacy with valuable information from experts - these are all well worth your time:

• Climate Solutions Update (En-ROADS 2024 Update)

• How to Run a Local Climate Cafe

• Climate Voters Unite!

• Join online: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09

                                                                                            Ask the Candidates:

We at NH Healthy Climate (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action) are asking our constituents to attend local candidate forums and ask pointed questions about the candidate’s commitment to climate action.    We have prepared a set of sample questions as prompts:

Some sample Questions for Candidates:

1. Do you feel the NH legislature should act to support efforts by individuals, businesses, municipalities and utilities at reducing the rate of climate change that is occurring?

2. In light of its impact on our economy via reduced winter tourism and costly recovery from extreme weather events, and on the health of our citizens via vector-borne illness, air and water quality, heat stress and food reliability, what role do you think our state government should play in reducing human contributions to climate change?

3. Do you believe that the New Hampshire legislature should address the production of greenhouse gas emissions that is fueling the well-documented climate changes we have been seeing in New Hampshire?

4. As predicted by the scientists who study climate change, we in New Hampshire have seen a 75% increase in storms with more than 2” of rain in 24 hours, and other examples of extreme weather.  If elected to the legislature, how would you address this increasing risk to our homes, roads, bridges, and businesses?

5. In central NH, we have seen a doubling of days with a heat index over 90 degrees since 1980. How should the state government respond to the increasing number of high heat days and their potential impact on the health of New Hampshire citizens, particularly the young and old?

6. What role do you believe that individuals, corporations, municipalities and state government have in slowing the observed changes in our climate?  Which can have the most impact?

7. What role do you think the state government should play in helping NH residents to become more resilient in the face of weather emergencies and effectively plan for them?

8. What specific programs or policies would you support to address the impact of extreme weather or climate change?

9. Do you feel the NH legislature should play a role in promoting clean energy and the electric grid upgrades that would be required?

10. Do you believe that our state PUC may need clearer guidance from the legislature in assuring funding for energy conservation through weatherization programs (i.e. NH Saves) and promoting clean energy source development?

11. Do you believe the State should take action to promote the development of off-shore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine?

ELECTION HELP from NH Network:

Talking points, Environment/Energy/Climate - NH issues

Environmental bills were often passed in a bipartisan manner in the past. This year, in many cases, whether or not a bill passed depended on who showed up to vote. We need to help make sure that legislators who care about the environment are elected, well-informed, and present at the State House for critical votes! 

Weather is getting more variable and more extreme. Clear and universally accepted scientific evidence points to the burning of fossil fuels as the main reason for this, since it produces carbon dioxide, methane and other gasses that trap the sun's energy in the atmosphere, warming the planet. This means that average global and local temperatures have been rising for decades, and that strong storms and wildfires are becoming more likely. The impacts of global warming are already affecting New Hampshire residents and communities:

• Higher temperatures and longer heat waves harm humans, especially the young and the old; flooding damages homes, businesses, roads; both heat and flooding destroy crops.  

• Longer summers mean the “vectors” (mosquitoes, ticks) that carry disease have longer to get established and do their harm.  

• Warmer waters allow more algal blooms (cyanobacteria) to invade our waterways, making the water unsafe for swimming and for pets.

• Will our children see NH winters? Will they get to ski NH’s mountains? Skate, play ice hockey or go ice fishing on our ponds? Hike in the summer? 

In spite of these real impacts, several NH beneficial bills were defeated in the legislature. These bills would have:

• Established a Climate & Health Protection Program in the NH Department of Health & Human Services; 

• Included language in the NH Constitution that “the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations”;

• Expanded the Comprehensive State Development plan to protect natural resources, identify environmental threats, and consider the mounting effects of cumulative lthreats to air, water and land; and

• Identified all old growth and mature forests on public land. (Why do old and wild forests matter? Not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and absorbing flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.)

Not only were bills to protect New Hampshire's environment defeated, but numerous bills that would have supported the transition to cleaner, more affordable energy sources were also voted down. These bills targeted not only clean energy generation, such as solar and batteries, but also transportation and the building sectors. 

• Our 5 New England neighbors have committed to 80% or more renewable energy sources by 2050, while NH’s current Renewable Portfolio Standard is only 25% by 2025. Once again this year, no plan was accepted for increasing NH’s use of renewable energy, now proven to be both reliable and less expensive than fossil fuels. Yet on the State House floor, legislators continued the lie that only fossil fuels provide energy security.

In New Hampshire, the transportation sector is the largest consumer of energy and main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in air pollutants. However, the NH legislature voted down several bills, which included:

• Providing incentives for the purchase or leasing of Electric Vehicles (EVs), including for low income residents; and

• Developing light rail service in the state.

• The current administration has been sitting on transportation funds from a legal settlement with VW, yet has not used the funds to create EV charging stations or help reduce other transportation emissions.

Our buildings are another huge source of energy consumption, energy costs, and GHG emissions.  But the legislature undermined efforts to improve building energy consumption, with impacts that will last for decades. This included:

• Adopting new building codes while rejecting more energy-efficient building standards (which would have reduced energy bills for occupants); and 

• Prohibiting towns and cities from adopting more ambitious building energy efficiency standards.

• Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) continues whittling away at NH Saves, which helps with energy efficiency to homes and businesses.

For renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, we need the Department of Energy to permit (not obstruct or slow-walk):

• Many more transmission lines and newer transmission lines to connect the energy source to the home or business that would use it (that’s what is meant by “update the grid”);

• More reasonable reimbursements for homes and businesses that have spent money for solar arrays, expecting to sell power back to the grid to help pay for their investment (that’s “net metering”);

• Larger net metering projects, including for nonprofits like hospitals;

• Community solar projects that would allow renters or people whose homes are shaded to invest in large solar arrays near their communities;

• Offshore wind – New England’s most under-utilized natural resource.

Additional Environmental Issues: We need help to keep the land, air and water clean.

The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has determined that NH already has sufficient landfill capacity to serve us at least another 8 years, yet bills that would have stemmed the tide of new landfill construction and expansion were defeated:

• Putting a moratorium on landfill permits until 2028, giving us time to get the technical information we need, and to address health and environmental concerns heard throughout the state. 

• Reducing the amount of trash that comes from out of state, from the current 50% to a manageable 15%.

• The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has been relaxing landfill standards, even as proposed landfills threaten pristine lakes.

• Landfills are a lucrative business for private waste management companies, who are known to have helped shape DES regulations to their advantage.

• Other bills would have reduced our solid waste problems, but were defeated:

  • restricting single use plastic, 

  • setting up a bottle deposit system,

  • standardizing labels for items that can be composted or recycled.

• The lax regulatory standards of NH encourage facilities like the St. Gobain factory (responsible for much of NH’s current PFAS) and landfill businesses to situate themselves in NH.

Also, a bill to identify all old growth and mature forests on public land in NH was defeated.  Why do old and wild forests matter?  Put simply: not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and sinking flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.

-Most of the environment, energy and climate bills were decided by voice vote, so there is no record of how any single legislator voted.  Here are four significant bills for which there is a voting record for anyone who was in the legislature this past year.

The voting question on the floor for these 4 bills could be: 

OTP = Ought to Pass

ITL = Inexpedient to Legislate

OTPA = Ought to pass with amendment

(other possible votes include:  to table a bill, indefinitely postpone, reconsider, or send it for interim study)

Date of final vote

Bill number

Bill title

The question

Discussion

2/22/24

HB1472

Relative to rebates of energy efficiency funds for electric vehicles.  

(There were also votes to Indefinitely Postpone, to Table and to Reconsider.)

OTP

Yea means supporting funds for EV purchase.

RESULT: defeated, then tabled 2/24

3/07/24

CACR14

Relating to the environment and natural resources.  Providing that the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations.

ITL

Yea means go ahead and kill this bill.

Nay means do NOT kill this bill.

RESULT:  ITL 197-168, 3/24

4/11/24

HB1649

Relative to prohibiting certain products with intentionally added PFAS and relative to civil actions for PFAS contamination, and relative to settlement of lawsuits against manufacturers of PFAS for impacts to public drinking water systems.

(There were also votes whether or not to Table and on specific amendments.)

OTPA

Yea means in support of this bill as amended.

RESULT:  OTPA 233-140, 4/24

5/02/24

SB496

Directing the department of health and human services to establish a climate and health protection program.

ITL

Yea means go ahead and kill this bill.

Nay means do NOT kill this bill.

RESULT:  ITL 186-182, 5/24

To see how a legislator voted:

For those who were a Senator or a Representative this past season,

> go to www.gencourt.state.nh.us

> for a Senator, go to Senate > select Senators > choose the Senator from the Roster and click on Current Voting Record

> for a Rep, go to House > then select House Roster > and “Select a Member” > then choose “Voting Record” 

                                                     MEETING OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE NETWORK

Third Act New Hampshire teams with our national organization of seniors and local NH partners for collective actions to help stabilize the climate, and protect our democracy.  You can check us out on our website at https://thirdact.org/new-hampshire/ and at statewide meetings on the third Thursday of the month. 

An overview of a number of activities scheduled by Third Act NH over the Summer and early Fall.  Much of the near term focus involves connecting climate, democracy and voting in the Fall election.  Please check out current plans at  https://thirdact.org/new-hampshire/events/   

Tuesday, July 30,  12-1pm  Energy Storage for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Webinar

-States are increasingly adopting ambitious clean energy and climate goals, which will require both renewable generation and energy storage technologies. Energy storage can charge directly from renewables or from the electric grid during periods of high renewable energy production, and then export that energy back to the grid during periods of high demand and low renewable availability. This reduces the need to draw upon fossil fuel resources during high demand times, and thereby reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

However, to ensure that energy storage is used in this manner, state programs and policies designed to incentivize energy storage adoption must also be strategically structured to incentivize greenhouse gas emissions reduction. This webinar will feature two different state approaches to reducing emissions with energy storage.

The webinar will feature presentations by Brian McAuley, Principal Consultant with Verdant Associates, a consultant group that conducts an annual evaluation report on California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program, and Stephan Wollenburg, Director at Sustainable Energy Advantage, a consulting and advisory firm involved in the design of the Massachusetts’s Clean Peak Energy Standard. Dr. Imre Gyuk, Chief Scientist of Energy Storage Research at the U.S. Department of Energy, will give some brief remarks on this topic at the start of the webinar.

REGISTER HERE

                                                          FEED YOUR BRAIN

Brainfood:  important report:  file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/Mobilizing-Federal-Action-on-Plastic-Pollution-Progress-Principles-and-Priorities-July-2024.pdf

Notable quote, p. 8 of the report:  Under business-as-usual production and management scenarios, plastic production may account for 15-31% of the global carbon budget by 2050, undermining efforts to keep global temperatures within a 1.5 degrees Celsius climate threshold. These trends in growth are unsustainable and should be reversed.

Bill McKibben writes: Your regular election-season reminder that you can keep track of payoffs from the fossil industry to its favorite politicians here.

Also from Bill McKibben - messaging matters 

Genevieve Gunther’s new book is finally out. It’s really interesting and really useful. Here’s a little sampler, from Mother Jones

Her book lays out six key terms that she believes command the conversation, to the detriment of climate action: “alarmist,” “costs,” “growth,” “India and China,” “innovation,” and “resilience.”

These words are often used to prop up fossil fuels: by accusing people who speak out about the risks as overly alarmed, by pitting climate action against economic prosperity, by deflecting attention away from the US and onto other countries, and by protecting the status quo by pointing to carbon removal technologies and societies’ ability to bounce back. The book seeks to debunk these points of view, smartly documenting, for example, how economic models failed to account for the true costs of climate change for so long.

• For each term, Guenther offers substitute arguments that “will be hard for fossil fuel interests to appropriate.” Don’t talk about “resilience,” she says, because it implies people can tough out extreme weather; talk about “transformation” instead. The result is a binary approach that suggests there is a right way and a wrong way to talk about the climate. This quest for black-and-white moral clarity risks antagonizing potential allies—such as the climate-concerned folks who think that carbon removal has promise or advocates who worry that a message could backfire if it sounds too scary, not to mention younger Republicans, two-thirds of whom favor prioritizing renewable energy over expanding fossil fuels. But that’s a risk Guenther is willing to take.

                                                             FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

 -EPA New England is pleased to announce that the Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, November 1, 11:59 p.m. 

Project Eligibility 

The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that: 

• Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern and/or sensitive populations [e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk]). 

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks. 

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects. 

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems. 

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Eligible projects under this program must be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas. More detailed descriptions of the target areas can be found in the 2024 Request for Applications. 

Information Sessions To provide an overview of the application process and address questions from prospective applicants, the Healthy Communities Grant Program will host four virtual information sessions before the application

 deadline. Sessions will take place at the following times: 

• August 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• September 10, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• October 2, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET 

Please visit the Healthy Communities webpage to register for a session, and for further details.

                                                    Weekly Update 8/05/24

 What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

   Week of August 5

-Join us for the New Hampshire Network 3rd Annual Green Summit - August 24th -to collaborate on statewide initiatives for a sustainable NH.  

Register at  bit.ly/EnvironmentalSummit

-The BIG news this week is the signing of HB 1649 which limits PFAS inclusion in a number of products.  Congrats to Representative Ebel and all who worked on this bill’s passage and signing!  An August 2nd press release from her office.

“Landmark legislation, HB 1649, became law today, prohibiting many commonly used consumer products with harmful PFAS from being sold in our state, including food packaging, children’s products, cosmetics, feminine hygiene products, carpets and furniture.  Supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition, this hard-won effort will start to reduce PFAS use in New Hampshire, already so greatly burdened by forever chemical contamination, protecting our health, our drinking water and our environment.

This bill also ensures that industries will be held strictly liable to the state for cleanup, restoration, and other remediation costs due to PFAS contamination, while also creating a private right of action for individuals whose wells have been contaminated.  

Granite Staters have the right to trust the products they buy and their drinking water without fear of negative, long-term health impacts. HB 1649's passage is a major, common-sense step to protect Granite Staters' health and our irreplaceable New Hampshire environment. Requiring PFAS to be removed from consumer products that we use daily and ensuring proper PFAS pollution cleanup is vital. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we walk on should be free of forever chemicals. We deserve nothing less.”

                                                                               AUGUST MEETING OPPORTUNITIES:

August 7th:  Join Responsible Environmental Protection for New Hampshire & The League of Conservation Voters for a Greener Granite State!  An Evening in Support of Candidates for State Office in NH

RSVP to join us in Concord here: Concord Event with Ro Khanna and REP-NH/LCV Wednesday, 8/7/24 - 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (google.com)

August 10th:  Join the 250th Bethlehem town celebration and advocate for “Save Forest Lake” 

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

August 15th:   UUActionNH  has monthly meetings (meet each 3rd Thursday of the month) to share issues of environmental importance.  Join them on August 15th for a webinar on composting.   

https://secure.everyaction.com/pdX12RjP1Ei_FRUci01MoQ2

August 20:   NH Healthy Climate  (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action):  Climate cafe meeting

https://17938795747767988963.googlegroups.com/attach/3fdb8ecdc390c/820%20Concord%20Climate%20Cafe.jpg?part=0.1&view=1&vt=ANaJVrEX82K2n9G4KO9l6uqiZ3VzXVa6Ar6pK6MjeNZfsyzEB__c-HZFkLYcqKawG-fI240zT7iag1_fJUt4mvPWlq8jZnp6hTMxELPw1NJOgWQxGo-bZnY

                                         -Decision 2024 - Making the ENVIRONMENT an election PRIORITY.   

A portion, albeit large portion, of this week’s summary includes past suggestions for becoming involved in the fall primary and the November election.  People will choose to volunteer at different times, so previous week’s suggestions are offered, again.  Pick and choose what is most appealing to you.

Postcards and canvassing are effective tools, and knocking on doors is already in progress.  Contact your local candidates or favored political party to participate.   Here is a link to several postcard writing options.

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

Did you catch the NH Network's three recent climate events?  Each provided a different aspect of climate solutions advocacy with valuable information from experts - these are all well worth your time:

• Climate Solutions Update (En-ROADS 2024 Update)

• How to Run a Local Climate Cafe

• Climate Voters Unite!

• Join online: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09

                                                                                      Ask the Candidates:

We at NH Healthy Climate (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action) are asking our constituents to attend local candidate forums and ask pointed questions about the candidate’s commitment to climate action.    We have prepared a set of sample questions as prompts:

Some sample Questions for Candidates:

1. Do you feel the NH legislature should act to support efforts by individuals, businesses, municipalities and utilities at reducing the rate of climate change that is occurring?

2. In light of its impact on our economy via reduced winter tourism and costly recovery from extreme weather events, and on the health of our citizens via vector-borne illness, air and water quality, heat stress and food reliability, what role do you think our state government should play in reducing human contributions to climate change?

3. Do you believe that the New Hampshire legislature should address the production of greenhouse gas emissions that is fueling the well-documented climate changes we have been seeing in New Hampshire?

4. As predicted by the scientists who study climate change, we in New Hampshire have seen a 75% increase in storms with more than 2” of rain in 24 hours, and other examples of extreme weather.  If elected to the legislature, how would you address this increasing risk to our homes, roads, bridges, and businesses?

5. In central NH, we have seen a doubling of days with a heat index over 90 degrees since 1980. How should the state government respond to the increasing number of high heat days and their potential impact on the health of New Hampshire citizens, particularly the young and old?

6. What role do you believe that individuals, corporations, municipalities and state governments have in slowing the observed changes in our climate?  Which can have the most impact?

7. What role do you think the state government should play in helping NH residents to become more resilient in the face of weather emergencies and effectively plan for them?

8. What specific programs or policies would you support to address the impact of extreme weather or climate change?

9. Do you feel the NH legislature should play a role in promoting clean energy and the electric grid upgrades that would be required?

10. Do you believe that our state PUC may need clearer guidance from the legislature in assuring funding for energy conservation through weatherization programs (i.e. NH Saves) and promoting clean energy source development?

11. Do you believe the State should take action to promote the development of off-shore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine?

                                                                            ELECTION HELP from NH Network:

                                                            Talking points, Environment/Energy/Climate - NH issues

Environmental bills were often passed in a bipartisan manner in the past. This year, in many cases, whether or not a bill passed depended on who showed up to vote. We need to help make sure that legislators who care about the environment are elected, well-informed, and present at the State House for critical votes! 

Weather is getting more variable and more extreme. Clear and universally accepted scientific evidence points to the burning of fossil fuels as the main reason for this, since it produces carbon dioxide, methane and other gasses that trap the sun's energy in the atmosphere, warming the planet. This means that average global and local temperatures have been rising for decades, and that strong storms and wildfires are becoming more likely. The impacts of global warming are already affecting New Hampshire residents and communities:

• Higher temperatures and longer heat waves harm humans, especially the young and the old; flooding damages homes, businesses, roads; both heat and flooding destroy crops.  

• Longer summers mean the “vectors” (mosquitoes, ticks) that carry disease have longer to get established and do their harm.  

• Warmer waters allow more algal blooms (cyanobacteria) to invade our waterways, making the water unsafe for swimming and for pets.

• Will our children see NH winters? Will they get to ski NH’s mountains? Skate, play ice hockey or go ice fishing on our ponds? Hike in the summer? 

In spite of these real impacts, several NH beneficial bills were defeated in the legislature. These bills would have:

• Established a Climate & Health Protection Program in the NH Department of Health & Human Services; 

• Included language in the NH Constitution that “the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations”;

• Expanded the Comprehensive State Development plan to protect natural resources, identify environmental threats, and consider the mounting effects of cumulative threats to air, water and land; and

• Identified all old growth and mature forests on public land. (Why do old and wild forests matter? Not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and absorbing flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.)

Not only were bills to protect New Hampshire's environment defeated, but numerous bills that would have supported the transition to cleaner, more affordable energy sources were also voted down. These bills targeted not only clean energy generation, such as solar and batteries, but also transportation and the building sectors. 

• Our 5 New England neighbors have committed to 80% or more renewable energy sources by 2050, while NH’s current Renewable Portfolio Standard is only 25% by 2025. Once again this year, no plan was accepted for increasing NH’s use of renewable energy, now proven to be both reliable and less expensive than fossil fuels. Yet on the State House floor, legislators continued the lie that only fossil fuels provide energy security.

In New Hampshire, the transportation sector is the largest consumer of energy and main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in air pollutants. However, the NH legislature voted down several bills, which included:

• Providing incentives for the purchase or leasing of Electric Vehicles (EVs), including for low income residents; and

• Developing light rail service in the state.

• The current administration has been sitting on transportation funds from a legal settlement with VW, yet has not used the funds to create EV charging stations or help reduce other transportation emissions.

Our buildings are another huge source of energy consumption, energy costs, and GHG emissions.  But the legislature undermined efforts to improve building energy consumption, with impacts that will last for decades. This included:

• Adopting new building codes while rejecting more energy-efficient building standards (which would have reduced energy bills for occupants); and 

• Prohibiting towns and cities from adopting more ambitious building energy efficiency standards.

• Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) continues whittling away at NH Saves, which helps with energy efficiency to homes and businesses.

For renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, we need the Department of Energy to permit (not obstruct or slow-walk):

• Many more transmission lines and newer transmission lines to connect the energy source to the home or business that would use it (that’s what is meant by “update the grid”);

• More reasonable reimbursements for homes and businesses that have spent money for solar arrays, expecting to sell power back to the grid to help pay for their investment (that’s “net metering”);

• Larger net metering projects, including for nonprofits like hospitals;

• Community solar projects that would allow renters or people whose homes are shaded to invest in large solar arrays near their communities;

• Offshore wind – New England’s most under-utilized natural resource.

Additional Environmental Issues: We need help to keep the land, air and water clean.

The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has determined that NH already has sufficient landfill capacity to serve us at least another 8 years, yet bills that would have stemmed the tide of new landfill construction and expansion were defeated:

• Putting a moratorium on landfill permits until 2028, giving us time to get the technical information we need, and to address health and environmental concerns heard throughout the state. 

• Reducing the amount of trash that comes from out of state, from the current 50% to a manageable 15%.

• The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has been relaxing landfill standards, even as proposed landfills threaten pristine lakes.

• Landfills are a lucrative business for private waste management companies, who are known to have helped shape DES regulations to their advantage.

• Other bills would have reduced our solid waste problems, but were defeated:

  • restricting single use plastic, 

  • setting up a bottle deposit system,

  • standardizing labels for items that can be composted or recycled.

• The lax regulatory standards of NH encourage facilities like the St. Gobain factory (responsible for much of NH’s current PFAS) and landfill businesses to situate themselves in NH.

Also, a bill to identify all old growth and mature forests on public land in NH was defeated.  Why do old and wild forests matter?  Put simply: not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and sinking flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.

                                                                                   FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

 -EPA New England is pleased to announce that the Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, November 1, 11:59 p.m. 

Project Eligibility 

The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that: 

• Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern and/or sensitive populations [e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk]). 

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks. 

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects. 

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems. 

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Eligible projects under this program must be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas. More detailed descriptions of the target areas can be found in the 2024 Request for Applications. 

Information Sessions To provide an overview of the application process and address questions from prospective applicants, the Healthy Communities Grant Program will host four virtual information sessions before the application

 deadline. Sessions will take place at the following times: 

• August 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• September 10, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• October 2, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET 

Please visit the Healthy Communities webpage to register for a session, and for further details.

                                                                      What’s Happening at the NH Network! 

   Week of July 29

-There is a lot in this week’s summary including several suggestions for raising climate issues as the election approaches.  Pick and choose what is most effective for you.

-Join us for the New Hampshire Network 3rd Annual Green Summit - August 24th -to collaborate on statewide initiatives for a sustainable NH.  

Register at  bit.ly/EnvironmentalSummit

-Decision 2024 - Making the ENVIRONMENT an election PRIORITY.   Regardless of one’s political persuasion, each of us cares about our family’s health and the NH way of life.    Network summaries will offer tips for meeting/engaging candidates and their positions on energy, climate and the environment.   Spot a candidate?  Use the opportunity to ask them a question about the environment!   OPTIONS OFFERED BELOW.

Postcards and canvassing are effective tools, and knocking on doors in already in progress.  Contact your local candidates or favored political party to participate.   Here is a link to several postcard writing options.

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

Did you catch the NH Network's three recent climate events?  Each provided a different aspect of climate solutions advocacy with valuable information from experts - these are all well worth your time:

• Climate Solutions Update (En-ROADS 2024 Update)

• How to Run a Local Climate Cafe

• Climate Voters Unite!

• Join online: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/my/cclnhrizoom?pwd=MTRoSmtMQ3J3bksyc0xwVk9sbEJMdz09

                                                             Ask the Candidates:

We at NH Healthy Climate (formerly NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action) are asking our constituents to attend local candidate forums and ask pointed questions about the candidate’s commitment to climate action.    We have prepared a set of sample questions as prompts:

Some sample Questions for Candidates:

1. Do you feel the NH legislature should act to support efforts by individuals, businesses, municipalities and utilities at reducing the rate of climate change that is occurring?

2. In light of its impact on our economy via reduced winter tourism and costly recovery from extreme weather events, and on the health of our citizens via vector-borne illness, air and water quality, heat stress and food reliability, what role do you think our state government should play in reducing human contributions to climate change?

3. Do you believe that the New Hampshire legislature should address the production of greenhouse gas emissions that is fueling the well-documented climate changes we have been seeing in New Hampshire?

4. As predicted by the scientists who study climate change, we in New Hampshire have seen a 75% increase in storms with more than 2” of rain in 24 hours, and other examples of extreme weather.  If elected to the legislature, how would you address this increasing risk to our homes, roads, bridges, and businesses?

5. In central NH, we have seen a doubling of days with a heat index over 90 degrees since 1980. How should the state government respond to the increasing number of high heat days and their potential impact on the health of New Hampshire citizens, particularly the young and old?

6. What role do you believe that individuals, corporations, municipalities and state government have in slowing the observed changes in our climate?  Which can have the most impact?

7. What role do you think the state government should play in helping NH residents to become more resilient in the face of weather emergencies and effectively plan for them?

8. What specific programs or policies would you support to address the impact of extreme weather or climate change?

9. Do you feel the NH legislature should play a role in promoting clean energy and the electric grid upgrades that would be required?

10. Do you believe that our state PUC may need clearer guidance from the legislature in assuring funding for energy conservation through weatherization programs (i.e. NH Saves) and promoting clean energy source development?

11. Do you believe the State should take action to promote the development of off-shore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine?

ELECTION HELP from NH Network:

Talking points, Environment/Energy/Climate - NH issues

Environmental bills were often passed in a bipartisan manner in the past. This year, in many cases, whether or not a bill passed depended on who showed up to vote. We need to help make sure that legislators who care about the environment are elected, well-informed, and present at the State House for critical votes! 

Weather is getting more variable and more extreme. Clear and universally accepted scientific evidence points to the burning of fossil fuels as the main reason for this, since it produces carbon dioxide, methane and other gasses that trap the sun's energy in the atmosphere, warming the planet. This means that average global and local temperatures have been rising for decades, and that strong storms and wildfires are becoming more likely. The impacts of global warming are already affecting New Hampshire residents and communities:

• Higher temperatures and longer heat waves harm humans, especially the young and the old; flooding damages homes, businesses, roads; both heat and flooding destroy crops.  

• Longer summers mean the “vectors” (mosquitoes, ticks) that carry disease have longer to get established and do their harm.  

• Warmer waters allow more algal blooms (cyanobacteria) to invade our waterways, making the water unsafe for swimming and for pets.

• Will our children see NH winters? Will they get to ski NH’s mountains? Skate, play ice hockey or go ice fishing on our ponds? Hike in the summer? 

In spite of these real impacts, several NH beneficial bills were defeated in the legislature. These bills would have:

• Established a Climate & Health Protection Program in the NH Department of Health & Human Services; 

• Included language in the NH Constitution that “the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations”;

• Expanded the Comprehensive State Development plan to protect natural resources, identify environmental threats, and consider the mounting effects of cumulative lthreats to air, water and land; and

• Identified all old growth and mature forests on public land. (Why do old and wild forests matter? Not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and absorbing flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.)

Not only were bills to protect New Hampshire's environment defeated, but numerous bills that would have supported the transition to cleaner, more affordable energy sources were also voted down. These bills targeted not only clean energy generation, such as solar and batteries, but also transportation and the building sectors. 

• Our 5 New England neighbors have committed to 80% or more renewable energy sources by 2050, while NH’s current Renewable Portfolio Standard is only 25% by 2025. Once again this year, no plan was accepted for increasing NH’s use of renewable energy, now proven to be both reliable and less expensive than fossil fuels. Yet on the State House floor, legislators continued the lie that only fossil fuels provide energy security.

In New Hampshire, the transportation sector is the largest consumer of energy and main source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in air pollutants. However, the NH legislature voted down several bills, which included:

• Providing incentives for the purchase or leasing of Electric Vehicles (EVs), including for low income residents; and

• Developing light rail service in the state.

• The current administration has been sitting on transportation funds from a legal settlement with VW, yet has not used the funds to create EV charging stations or help reduce other transportation emissions.

Our buildings are another huge source of energy consumption, energy costs, and GHG emissions.  But the legislature undermined efforts to improve building energy consumption, with impacts that will last for decades. This included:

• Adopting new building codes while rejecting more energy-efficient building standards (which would have reduced energy bills for occupants); and 

• Prohibiting towns and cities from adopting more ambitious building energy efficiency standards.

• Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) continues whittling away at NH Saves, which helps with energy efficiency to homes and businesses.

For renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, we need the Department of Energy to permit (not obstruct or slow-walk):

• Many more transmission lines and newer transmission lines to connect the energy source to the home or business that would use it (that’s what is meant by “update the grid”);

• More reasonable reimbursements for homes and businesses that have spent money for solar arrays, expecting to sell power back to the grid to help pay for their investment (that’s “net metering”);

• Larger net metering projects, including for nonprofits like hospitals;

• Community solar projects that would allow renters or people whose homes are shaded to invest in large solar arrays near their communities;

• Offshore wind – New England’s most under-utilized natural resource.

Additional Environmental Issues: We need help to keep the land, air and water clean.

The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has determined that NH already has sufficient landfill capacity to serve us at least another 8 years, yet bills that would have stemmed the tide of new landfill construction and expansion were defeated:

• Putting a moratorium on landfill permits until 2028, giving us time to get the technical information we need, and to address health and environmental concerns heard throughout the state. 

• Reducing the amount of trash that comes from out of state, from the current 50% to a manageable 15%.

• The Department of Environmental Services (DES) has been relaxing landfill standards, even as proposed landfills threaten pristine lakes.

• Landfills are a lucrative business for private waste management companies, who are known to have helped shape DES regulations to their advantage.

• Other bills would have reduced our solid waste problems, but were defeated:

  • restricting single use plastic, 

  • setting up a bottle deposit system,

  • standardizing labels for items that can be composted or recycled.

• The lax regulatory standards of NH encourage facilities like the St. Gobain factory (responsible for much of NH’s current PFAS) and landfill businesses to situate themselves in NH.

Also, a bill to identify all old growth and mature forests on public land in NH was defeated.  Why do old and wild forests matter?  Put simply: not all forests are equal when it comes to slowing, spreading, and sinking flood waters, supporting native biodiversity, removing phosphorus from our waters, mitigating climate change, and reconnecting people with nature.

-Most of the environment, energy and climate bills were decided by voice vote, so there is no record of how any single legislator voted.  Here are four significant bills for which there is a voting record for anyone who was in the legislature this past year.

The voting question on the floor for these 4 bills could be: 

OTP = Ought to Pass

ITL = Inexpedient to Legislate

OTPA = Ought to pass with amendment

(other possible votes include:  to table a bill, indefinitely postpone, reconsider, or send it for interim study)

Date of final vote

Bill number

Bill title

The question

Discussion

2/22/24

HB1472

Relative to rebates of energy efficiency funds for electric vehicles.  

(There were also votes to Indefinitely Postpone, to Table and to Reconsider.)

OTP

Yea means supporting funds for EV purchase.

RESULT: defeated, then tabled 2/24

3/07/24

CACR14

Relating to the environment and natural resources.  Providing that the state shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations.

ITL

Yea means go ahead and kill this bill.

Nay means do NOT kill this bill.

RESULT:  ITL 197-168, 3/24

4/11/24

HB1649

Relative to prohibiting certain products with intentionally added PFAS and relative to civil actions for PFAS contamination, and relative to settlement of lawsuits against manufacturers of PFAS for impacts to public drinking water systems.

(There were also votes whether or not to Table and on specific amendments.)

OTPA

Yea means in support of this bill as amended.

RESULT:  OTPA 233-140, 4/24

5/02/24

SB496

Directing the department of health and human services to establish a climate and health protection program.

ITL

Yea means go ahead and kill this bill.

Nay means do NOT kill this bill.

RESULT:  ITL 186-182, 5/24

To see how a legislator voted:

For those who were a Senator or a Representative this past season,

> go to www.gencourt.state.nh.us

> for a Senator, go to Senate > select Senators > choose the Senator from the Roster and click on Current Voting Record

> for a Rep, go to House > then select House Roster > and “Select a Member” > then choose “Voting Record” 

                        MEETING OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE NETWORK

Third Act New Hampshire teams with our national organization of seniors and local NH partners for collective actions to help stabilize the climate, and protect our democracy.  You can check us out on our website at https://thirdact.org/new-hampshire/ and at statewide meetings on the third Thursday of the month. 

An overview of a number of activities scheduled by Third Act NH over the Summer and early Fall.  Much of the near term focus involves connecting climate, democracy and voting in the Fall election.  Please check out current plans at  https://thirdact.org/new-hampshire/events/   

Tuesday, July 30,  12-1pm  Energy Storage for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Webinar

-States are increasingly adopting ambitious clean energy and climate goals, which will require both renewable generation and energy storage technologies. Energy storage can charge directly from renewables or from the electric grid during periods of high renewable energy production, and then export that energy back to the grid during periods of high demand and low renewable availability. This reduces the need to draw upon fossil fuel resources during high demand times, and thereby reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

However, to ensure that energy storage is used in this manner, state programs and policies designed to incentivize energy storage adoption must also be strategically structured to incentivize greenhouse gas emissions reduction. This webinar will feature two different state approaches to reducing emissions with energy storage.

The webinar will feature presentations by Brian McAuley, Principal Consultant with Verdant Associates, a consultant group that conducts an annual evaluation report on California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program, and Stephan Wollenburg, Director at Sustainable Energy Advantage, a consulting and advisory firm involved in the design of the Massachusetts’s Clean Peak Energy Standard. Dr. Imre Gyuk, Chief Scientist of Energy Storage Research at the U.S. Department of Energy, will give some brief remarks on this topic at the start of the webinar.

REGISTER HERE

                          FEED YOUR BRAIN

Brainfood:  important report:  file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/Mobilizing-Federal-Action-on-Plastic-Pollution-Progress-Principles-and-Priorities-July-2024.pdf

Notable quote, p. 8 of the report:  Under business-as-usual production and management scenarios, plastic production may account for 15-31% of the global carbon budget by 2050, undermining efforts to keep global temperatures within a 1.5 degrees Celsius climate threshold. These trends in growth are unsustainable and should be reversed.

Bill McKibben writes: Your regular election-season reminder that you can keep track of payoffs from the fossil industry to its favorite politicians here.

Also from Bill McKibben - messaging matters 

Genevieve Gunther’s new book is finally out. It’s really interesting and really useful. Here’s a little sampler, from Mother Jones

Her book lays out six key terms that she believes command the conversation, to the detriment of climate action: “alarmist,” “costs,” “growth,” “India and China,” “innovation,” and “resilience.”

These words are often used to prop up fossil fuels: by accusing people who speak out about the risks as overly alarmed, by pitting climate action against economic prosperity, by deflecting attention away from the US and onto other countries, and by protecting the status quo by pointing to carbon removal technologies and societies’ ability to bounce back. The book seeks to debunk these points of view, smartly documenting, for example, how economic models failed to account for the true costs of climate change for so long.

• For each term, Guenther offers substitute arguments that “will be hard for fossil fuel interests to appropriate.” Don’t talk about “resilience,” she says, because it implies people can tough out extreme weather; talk about “transformation” instead. The result is a binary approach that suggests there is a right way and a wrong way to talk about the climate. This quest for black-and-white moral clarity risks antagonizing potential allies—such as the climate-concerned folks who think that carbon removal has promise or advocates who worry that a message could backfire if it sounds too scary, not to mention younger Republicans, two-thirds of whom favor prioritizing renewable energy over expanding fossil fuels. But that’s a risk Guenther is willing to take.

                                      FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

 -EPA New England is pleased to announce that the Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, November 1, 11:59 p.m. 

Project Eligibility 

The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that: 

• Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern and/or sensitive populations [e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk]). 

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks. 

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects. 

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems. 

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Eligible projects under this program must be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas. More detailed descriptions of the target areas can be found in the 2024 Request for Applications. 

Information Sessions To provide an overview of the application process and address questions from prospective applicants, the Healthy Communities Grant Program will host four virtual information sessions before the application

 deadline. Sessions will take place at the following times: 

• August 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• September 10, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

• October 2, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET 

Please visit the Healthy Communities webpage to register for a session, and for further details.

Weekly Update 6/16/24