TITLE I
THE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 21-O
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Section 21-O:12

    21-O:12 Office of the Commissioner. –
The commissioner of environmental services shall establish units within the office to be responsible for: administrative services, geological survey, human resources, planning, public information and permitting, risk analysis and management, and legal, which shall include the following functions and such other functions as may be assigned by the commissioner:
I. Administrative services shall include the following services to all divisions, to the greatest extent possible:
(a) Accounting, purchasing, and budget control.
(b) Personnel management.
(c) Property, contracts, and grants management.

[Paragraph II effective until July 10, 2028; see also paragraph II set out below.]


II. Geology shall be under the direction of the state geologist, who shall be the director of the New Hampshire geological survey. The geological survey shall collect data and perform research on the land, mineral, and water resources of the state, and disseminate the findings of such research to the public through maps, reports, and other publications. The state geologist shall: consult with the commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources relative to the issuance of mining permits under RSA 12-E; assist the directors of the divisions of water and waste management as necessary; and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the commissioner. The state geologist and all members of the New Hampshire geological survey shall be staff members of the commissioner's office. The state geologist shall advise the department, and all other branches of state and local government, concerning the geologic character of the state and its implications for both economic and scientific needs in conjunction with all existing and future environmental factors relating to the geology of the state. The state geologist shall maintain liaison with federal and other state geologic agencies and with the state university. The state geologist shall also serve as a voting member of the board of professional geologists.

[Paragraph II effective July 10, 2028; see also paragraph II set out above.]


II. Geology shall be under the direction of the state geologist, who shall be the director of the New Hampshire geological survey. The geological survey shall collect data and perform research on the land, mineral, and water resources of the state, and disseminate the findings of such research to the public through maps, reports, and other publications. The state geologist shall assist the directors of the divisions of water and waste management as necessary and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the commissioner. The state geologist and all members of the New Hampshire geological survey shall be staff members of the commissioner's office. The state geologist shall advise the department, and all other branches of state and local government, concerning the geologic character of the state and its implications for both economic and scientific needs in conjunction with all existing and future environmental factors relating to the geology of the state. The state geologist shall maintain liaison with federal and other state geologic agencies and with the state university. The state geologist shall also serve as a voting member of the board of professional geologists.
III. Planning shall be under the direct supervision of the assistant commissioner and shall include all department-level short- and long-range planning activities and the coordination and compilation of all division-level planning activities.
IV. Public information and permitting shall assist members of the general public whenever possible by directing them to the appropriate person within the relevant division of the department; and generally providing members of the general public with all of the information necessary for meeting permit requirements.
V. The risk analysis and management function shall be the direct responsibility of the assistant commissioner, in accordance with RSA 125-H:7. The commissioner may call on any personnel from any division or any other state department to assist the assistant commissioner in the event of a crisis, disaster, or other occurrence or condition requiring analysis and management of an actual or suspected risk of damage to the environment. The unit, once assembled by the commissioner in the event of a crisis, disaster, occurrence, or condition, shall work closely with the risk assessment bureau in the department of health and human services under the direction of the assistant commissioner to:
(a) Make assessments of potential or actual risk of harm to the environment or, in cooperation with the risk assessment bureau of the department of health and human services, to persons.
(b) Manage environmental risk hazards using the results of the assessment described above or any other available information to develop and evaluate regulatory options, within a statutory framework, to reduce or eliminate the risk of harm to the environment.

Source. 1986, 202:1. 1995, 310:67. 1996, 228:9. 2001, 75:1. 2004, 15:1. 2011, 224:98, eff. July 1, 2011. 2017, 156:14, I, eff. July 1, 2017. 2020, 37:65, eff. Sept. 27, 2020. 2023, 79:17, eff. July 1, 2023. 2026, 292:9, eff. July 10, 2028.