hb 1252

CHAPTER 210

HB 1252 - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT relative to the membership of the wetlands council.

SPONSORS: Rep. Gabler, Graf 8; Rep. Odell, Sull 5; Rep. Camm, Rock 17; Rep. Phinizy, Sull 7

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT relative to the membership of the wetlands council.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

210:1 Wetlands Council: Membership. Amend RSA 21-O:5-a, I and II to read as follows:

I. There is established a wetlands council for the purpose of implementing the provisions of law conferring on the department authority to decide matters relative to resources of the state, including, but not limited to, excavating, dredging, and filling waters of the state. Appointees and officials shall have voting rights as members of the wetlands council; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting other duties of the department with reference to dams, water levels, and administration of the department of environmental services. The wetlands council shall be composed of the following:

(e) The commissioner of the department of [~~environmental services or designee~~] agriculture, markets, and food, or designee.

(g) [~~Six~~] Seven members of the public appointed by the governor and council for a term of 3 years or until a successor is chosen. One of these shall be a member of a municipal conservation commission at the time of appointment, and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions; one shall be a supervisor, associate supervisor, former associate supervisor, or former supervisor, of a conservation district at the time of appointment, and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts; one shall be an elected municipal official at the time of appointment, and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the New Hampshire Municipal Association; one shall be a natural resource scientist and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the New Hampshire Association of Natural Resource Scientists; one shall be a member of the [~~non-marine~~] construction industry [~~at the time of appointment, and be nominated by the governor~~] and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire; one shall be a member of the marine [~~construction~~] industry [~~at the time of appointment and be nominated by the governor~~] and be one of 3 nominees submitted by the New Hampshire Marine Trades Association; and one shall have experience in environmental protection and resource management at the time of appointment and be one of 4 nominees submitted, 2 each, by the New Hampshire Audubon Society and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. One member of the council shall be elected annually as chairperson by the members of the council.

II. The [6] 7 members appointed under subparagraph I(g) shall be entitled to expenses and $50 compensation per diem. The other members of the council shall receive no additional compensation for their service as members of the council, other than their regular salaries from their respective state departments, but shall receive mileage and other expenses paid at the rate set for state employees.