2001 SESSION

01-2101

03/09

HOUSE BILL 1296

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

ANALYSIS

This bill limits ambient groundwater quality standards to contaminants for which there are existing federal standards.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01-2101

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

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

1 Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards. Amend RSA 485-C:6 to read as follows:

485-C:6 Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards.

I. The commissioner shall establish and adopt ambient groundwater quality standards for regulated contaminants which adversely affect human health or the environment. Ambient groundwater standards shall apply to all regulated contaminants for which there are existing federal standards and which result from human operations or activities, but do not apply to naturally occurring contaminants. Where federal maximum contaminant level or health advisories have been promulgated under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act or rules relevant to such act, ambient groundwater quality standards shall be equivalent to [such] those federal standards. [Where such standards are based upon cancer risks, the ambient groundwater quality standards shall be equivalent to that exposure which causes a lifetime exposure risk of one cancer in 1,000,000 exposed population.] Where no federal maximum contaminant level or health advisory has been issued, the commissioner may [adopt ambient groundwater quality standards on a basis which provides] request that the general court urge federal action to establish a standard to provide for an adequate margin of safety to protect human health and safety.

II. Ambient groundwater quality standards shall be the water quality basis for issuance of groundwater discharge permits under RSA 485-A:13.

III. No person shall knowingly discharge wastewater, except for discharges of domestic wastewater regulated under RSA 485-A:13 and RSA 485-A:29[, no person shall violate ambient groundwater quality standards].

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2003.