Transcript Slide 1

For The
American Council of Engineering
Companies of New Hampshire
January 15, 2014
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... to help sustain a high quality of life for
all citizens by protecting and restoring
the environment and public health in
New Hampshire.
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
Budget Update

Great Bay

Infrastructure SB60
Report

Rules

Certification Updates

Legislation

MTBE

Regional Greenhouse
Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Climate Change
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DES Organization Chart
Thomas Burack
Commissioner
Commissioner’s
Office
Vicki Quiram
Ass’t Commissioner
• Finance/Accounting
• Planning & Technical
Assistance
• Public Information
• Geological Survey
• Human Resources
• Legal
Waste Management
Water Division
Air Resources
Michael Wimsatt
Director
Harry T. Stewart
Director
Craig Wright
Director
• Hazardous Waste
• Solid Waste
• Oil/USTs/ASTs
• Superfund/State Sites
• Brownfields
• Emergency Response
• Dams
• Wetlands/Shorelands
• Watersheds/Lakes/Rivers
• Wastewater/Septic
Systems
• Drinking Water Supplies
• Winnipesaukee River
Basin
• Stationary Sources
• Mobile Sources
• Air Toxics
• Env. Health
• Energy Programs
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o State Aid Grant program (SAG) received funding for all
projects on the Delayed & Deferred (D&D) List.
o SAG is a grant to communities for improvements and construction
related to these 3 programs and provides a 20%-30% grant on debt
service payments:
• Wastewater Treatment Systems
• Public Drinking Water Systems
• Landfill Closures
o No grants had been given out since 2008, creating a D&D list
consisting of 127 projects on as of 12/31/12. The Legislature funded
all projects on the list and established a moratorium on new grants for
the ‘14/’15 biennium.
o Funding for all other aspects of the Department remain
consistent with prior years.
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DES-Wide SFY 2014 Total Budget = $177.3 Million
(Sources of Funds)
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Water Infrastructure Sustainability
Funding Commission
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SB60, Chapter 245:1, Laws of
2009, November 2013 Final Report
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o Formed in 2009, extended twice
o Senator Martha Fuller Clark was original & final Chair
o Met 31 times
o Focused on funding needs and states role related to:
o Municipal wastewater and stormwater systems
o Public drinking water systems (municipal and private)
o Municipal and state owned dams
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Infrastructure Type
10-Year Need
Wastewater – 98 municipal wastewater systems (71
discharging to surface water, 27 to groundwater)
$1,710,000,000
Stormwater – In every community, MS4 permits
$272,000,000
required in certain urban communities
Drinking Water – 700 community systems
$857,000,000
Dams – State Owned (278)
$18,000,000
Dams- Municipal (358)
$40,000,000
Total
$2,897,000,000
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o Many sources considered.
o Charge on beverage containers favored because:
o Most beverage manufacturers rely on water infrastructure;
o Surrounding states have larger bottle redemption fees;
keeps competitive advantage;
o People are used to paying such a fee elsewhere; and
o Raises sufficient revenue.
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o Water infrastructure is critical and beneficial to NH’s
economy and quality of life.
o Substantial investment ($2.9B/decade) is needed to
maintain or make necessary improvements to municipal
wastewater and stormwater systems, public drinking water
systems, and municipal and state-owned dams.
o In addition to ratepayers, the state of NH benefits directly
and indirectly from reliable water infrastructure and the
state should create a Water Trust Fund to ensure adequate
annual investment in water infrastructure.
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o A new revenue source must be found to create the Water
Trust Fund and the Commission finds that a charge on
beverage containers is the best available alternative.
o State funding for water infrastructure must be contingent on
implementation of measures by water infrastructure system
owners that will ensure proper and adequate future
operation and asset management.
o Ongoing education and outreach will be necessary to
ensure NH’s leaders and citizenry understand the critical
importance of water infrastructure investment.
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o Key to citizenry and leaders valuing water
infrastructure.
o Commitment from Commission members and
organizations to do their part.
o Needed to refine Water Trust Fund Concept.
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o MTBE settlement with gasoline manufacturers and marketers
yielded $81.6M for DES to address MTBE contamination in NH.
o G&C approval was received to spend $22.3M during the current
biennium to address MTBE contamination.
o DES is forming the MTBE Remediation Bureau to investigate and
remediate MTBE contamination.
o $2.6M has been allocated to Bureau operating costs.
o $19.7M has been allocated to contractual work and
reimbursements for investigation, remediation, and mitigation of
MTBE contamination at the most complex sites and sites that
impact (or potentially impact) private and/or public water supplies.
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o Petition EPA to establish a new very
large “Eastern States” Ozone
Transport Region.
Ozone Transport Region (OTR)
Proposed
o Levels the playing field for NSR,
RACT and more.
o Would require emission reductions
in newly added states that current
Ozone Transport Region states
have required for years.
Current
Proposed
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Northern Virginia
- PLUS Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
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o RGGI states locked in 2014 base cap at 91 million tons CO2
o Cap declines 2.5%/yr from 2015 to 2020 as initially planned
o Projected 2020 RGGI regional CO2 emissions ½ 2005 levels.
o Cap adjusted downward to account for private bank of allowances
accumulated in 2009 - 2011 and 2012 - 2014 control periods
o 1st adjustment for 2014 reduces regional cap to 82.8 million tons
o 2nd adjustment TBD on 3/17/14 for 2015-2020.
o RGGI states commented to EPA regarding upcoming power plant
CO2 regulation under CAA section 111(d)
o Recognizing RGGI would avoid duplicative regulation and provide a
simple, cost-effective option with greater flexibility than a source
specific performance standard.
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Infrastructure Impacts Inconvenient and Expensive to Repair!
Somersworth DW Treatment Plant, May ‘06
Junction Rte. 43/Rte. 107, Deerfield, NH, April ‘07
Axe Handle Brook, Rochester, NH, May ‘06
Loon Mountain, Lincoln, NH ‘11
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o Estuary conditions are
deteriorating.
o Symptoms of population growth,
increased nutrient loads, and
non-point source pollution.
o More monitoring and scientific
study is necessary and will track
the estuary improvements made
possible by the communities’
investments.
o Phased approach needed for
expensive upgrades.
o Nonpoint source reduction plans
are moving ahead in Exeter and
Oyster Rivers.
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Non-Point Source Nitrogen Loads to Great Bay
DES Great Bay
Nitrogen Non-Point
Source Study
From
PREP (2013)
Nitrogen
Loading
Model
Total Load
1,225 Tons/yr
Non-Point Source Load 900 ±100 Tons/yr
Non-Point Source Load Delivered by Stormwater = 26%
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◦ Wetlands Program Rulemaking and
Process Improvement Effort
◦ Solid Waste
◦ Wastewater Treatment
Your Input is Important!
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o
o
o
o
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Program Goal: To improve efficiency in salt use such
that the least amount of salt is used to ensure safe
conditions for pedestrians and vehicles.
I-93 Expansion was the “driver,” but benefits are
universal.
Effective 11/1/13, commercial salt applicators can apply
to DES for voluntary certificate.
Applicators must complete UNH Technology Transfer
Center’s (T2) Green SnowPro Training Program.
Benefit to applicators and owners = Limited liability for
damages arising from hazards caused by snow or ice (if
BMPs are followed and basic records maintained).
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Certified local public works officials (with required training)
will be able to repair/replace culverts of up to 48 inches in
diameter
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UNH Technology Transfer Center (again) is today the only
trainer (others may become “approved providers”).
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Inter-municipal agreements are contemplated.
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Municipal PEs do not require certification.
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Benefits/Conditions:
o Qualifying repair/replacement projects for stream crossings may
proceed w/out upfront DES permits.
o Quarterly reports on projects to DES are required.
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o
Integrated Permitting: (SB 267) - Extends the implementation date for
integrated permitting from 7/1/15 to 7/1/17. DES Requested.
o Fill & Dredge Permitting Applications: (HB 1258) - Changes the
application submittal process by allowing the applicant to provide the town
clerks with copies of the application and they can now submit directly to DES.
DES Requested.
o ODD GREE Fund: (HB 1229-FN)
o Would extend the lapse dates for the Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup
(ODD) Fund and Gasoline Remediation and Elimination of Ethers (GREE)
Fund from 7/1/15 to 7/1/25.
o Underground Storage Tank (UST) owners rely on the ODD Fund to pay
cleanup costs and to provide “financial responsibility” for cleanup as
required by federal and state regulations.
o GREE funds are used for investigation, cleanup, monitoring, and mitigation
of gasoline constituent impacted groundwater and water supply wells.
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Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive
(603) 271-3503
www.des.nh.gov
Tom Burack, Commissioner
271-2958
[email protected]
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