hb 1138

CHAPTER 45

HB 1138 – FINAL VERSION

AN ACT establishing a Nash Stream forest citizens committee and relative to Connecticut Lakes headwaters tract natural areas camp leases.

SPONSORS: Rep. King, Coos 1; Rep. Stohl, Coos 1; Rep. L. Pratt, Coos 2; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1

This bill establishes a Nash Stream forest citizens committee. This bill also requires Connecticut Lakes headwaters tract natural areas camp leases.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT establishing a Nash Stream forest citizens committee and relative to Connecticut Lakes headwaters tract natural areas camp leases.

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

45:1 New Section; Nash Stream Forest Citizens Committee. Amend RSA 12-A by inserting after section 9-b the following new section:

I. There is established the Nash Stream forest citizens committee. Committee membership shall be as follows and shall include a minimum of 7 members who are residents of any community in the Great North Woods region:

(d) One person who shall have expertise in forestry and timber harvesting, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(e) One person who shall have expertise in monitoring conservation easements, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(f) One person who shall have expertise in outdoor recreation and tourism, appointed by the president of the senate.

(g) One person who shall have expertise in forest ecology and management of natural areas, appointed by the president of the senate.

(h) Two persons appointed by the governor with the consent of the council, one of whom shall be a representative of a New Hampshire snowmobile club, and one of whom shall be a representative of a New Hampshire environmental organization.

(j) The commissioner of the department of resources and economic development, or a citizen appointed by the commissioner as designee.

(k) The executive director of the fish and game department, or a citizen appointed by the executive director as designee.

(l) One person who is a member of the Nash Stream Campowners Association, appointed by the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development.

II. Each member shall serve a 3-year term. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of office in the same manner as the original appointment. Members may serve successive terms. Persons serving on the Connecticut Lakes headwaters citizens committee shall not be eligible to serve as appointed members of the Nash Stream forest citizens committee.

III. The members shall elect a chairperson from among the public members. Preference shall be given to a resident of the Great North Woods region if a member from that area is willing to serve as chairman, otherwise another public member shall be elected.

IV. The committee shall meet at least annually and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary. At least once annually, the committee shall meet to review the management plan of the state-owned properties as prepared by the managing state agencies. The committee’s meetings shall be open to the public, in accordance with RSA 91-A. Interested members of the public shall be allowed to speak before the committee or to submit statements. Records, reports, and working papers generated or used by the committee, or both, shall be made available to the public for inspection or copying. The committee shall not be responsible to the public for the costs of copying its documents.

(a) Providing advice to the monitoring entity for monitoring compliance with the terms and conditions of the working forest conservation easement covering approximately 39,601 acres of the Nash Stream forest tract.

(b) Providing advice to the department of resources and economic development and the fish and game department on the management of public recreational use of the Nash Stream forest tract, including the seasonal use of the road system, snowmobile trails and their use, and the terms for access and use of the tract by motorized vehicles.

(d) Providing advice to the department of resources and economic development and the fish and game department on any proposed revision to the stewardship or management plans required by the conservation easements on the 39,601 acres or the natural areas and, should amendments to these easements ever be contemplated, on the proposed amendments.

(e) Any and all duties of the “Citizen Advisory Committee” as outlined in the Nash Stream Management Plan of 1995 and revisions of 2002.

VI. The commissioner of the department of resources and economic development shall designate a state employee from the department as the administrative officer of the committee. The administrative officer shall attend each meeting of the committee and provide recordkeeping and related administrative and clerical assistance to the committee.

VII. The terms and provisions of the conservation easements shall at all times provide the legal basis for the committee’s advice and authority, and any legal opinion of the easement’s terms shall be rendered by the attorney general.

45:2 Initial Appointments to the Nash Stream Forest Citizens Committee. In making initial appointments to the Nash Stream forest citizens committee under RSA 12-A:9-c, the appointing authorities shall give preference to those persons serving on the effective date of this act on the Nash Stream Forest Citizen Advisory Committee, established by the division of forests and lands.

45:3 Nash Stream Forest Citizen Advisory Committee Abolished. The Nash Stream Forest Citizen Advisory Committee, established by the division of forests and lands, is hereby abolished. The records, equipment, and other property of the Nash Stream Forest Citizen Advisory Committee are transferred to the Nash Stream forest citizens committee established in RSA 12-A:9-c.

45:4 New Section; Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Tract Natural Areas Camp Leases. Amend RSA 212 by inserting after section 10 the following new section:

212:10-a Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Tract Natural Areas Camp Leases. The executive director of the fish and game department shall make contracts for the leasing of seasonal camp lots within the Connecticut Lakes headwaters tract natural areas, which were in existence at the time of the state’s acquisition of the tract, for periods not exceeding 5 years. All such contracts extending for a period of more than 5 years or for an annual consideration of more than $5,000 shall be approved by the governor and council prior to being effective. All money collected from the leasing of seasonal camp lots within the Connecticut Lakes headwaters tract natural areas shall be credited to the fish and game fund established under RSA 206:33.