Betsy Snider

Coal tar–based sealants contain extremely high levels of PAHs, which are carcinogenic compounds that are toxic to aquatic life. As these sealants wear down, they create contaminated dust and runoff that can be carried into nearby streams, rivers, wetlands, and lakes, where PAHs settle into sediments and persist for years. These pollutants degrade water and sediment quality, harm aquatic insects, fish, and amphibians, and disrupt the aquatic food web. As development continues across New Hampshire, HB 1614 takes a proactive, commonsense step to reduce a preventable source of toxic pollution.