Elizabeth Iacovelli | Oppose HB1542

This bill quietly dismantles New Hampshire’s renewable energy system by setting the penalty for non-compliance at zero and draining the Renewable Energy Fund that supports families, communities, and clean energy programs. Those compliance payments are what fund low- and moderate-income solar, community projects, and programs that help people lower their energy bills. Making them $0 removes any real reason for utilities to invest in renewables and wipes out the funding for the very programs that make clean energy accessible, not just for the wealthy but for everyday families. This might slightly lower bills in the short term, but it does so by sacrificing long-term affordability, energy independence, local jobs, and environmental responsibility. Families already face rising costs and climate risks, and this bill makes both worse. If New Hampshire wants to support working families and children, it should be building a stable, forward-looking energy system, not quietly tearing it down.