Energy and Environment

Committee advances bills to restrict out-of-state trash

Two bills addressing the import of out-of-state trash are heading to the House of Representatives with a positive recommendation, offering a solution toward alleviating the strain on the state’s landfill capacity. New Hampshire receives nearly half of its trash from neighboring states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut, making it New England’s dumping ground. According to a report from the state’s environment department, in 2020, more than 900,000 tons of solid waste were dumped in three commercial landfills.

Prospects for performance-based ratemaking in NH

On Jan. 16, 2024, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held its initial hearing on Senate Bill 320 (SB 320), which would require the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish performance incentive mechanisms for electric and gas utilities that tie the revenues a utility collects to the achievement of specific policy goals.