Bill Text: NH HB1501 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishing a fund to upgrade wastewater treatment plants.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-09-26 - House Interim Study - Executive Session: 10/16/2012 10:00 Amendment Legislative Office Building 305 [HB1501 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2012-HB1501-Introduced.html

HB 1501-FN-LOCAL – AS INTRODUCED

2012 SESSION

12-2575

06/01

HOUSE BILL 1501-FN-LOCAL

AN ACT establishing a fund to upgrade wastewater treatment plants.

SPONSORS: Rep. Schroadter, Rock 12

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a fund to upgrade wastewater treatment plants, replace failing septic systems, and reduce nitrogen discharge.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

12-2575

06/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twelve

AN ACT establishing a fund to upgrade wastewater treatment plants.

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

1 New Paragraphs; Municipal Responsibility. Amend RSA 485-A:5-b by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraphs:

III. Each municipality shall, through property tax bills, suggest an annual $25 donation from each property owner for every toilet on the subject property. Each municipality shall deposit moneys so collected into the wastewater treatment and septic system fund established in paragraph IV.

IV. There is hereby established the wastewater treatment and septic system fund into which funds collected under paragraph III shall be deposited. The fund shall be a separate, non-lapsing fund, continually appropriated to the department for distribution to utilities for the purposes of upgrading wastewater treatment plants, replacing failing septic systems, and reducing nitrogen discharge.

2 New Paragraph; Rulemaking. Amend RSA 485-A:6 by inserting after paragraph XIII the following new paragraph:

XIV. The requirements for qualification for funding under RSA 485-A:5-b, IV.

3 New Subparagraph; Application of Receipts. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (307) the following new subparagraph:

(308) Moneys deposited in the wastewater treatment and septic system fund established under RSA 485-A:5-b, IV.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

12-2575

11/29/11

HB 1501-FN-LOCAL - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing a fund to upgrade wastewater treatment plants.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of Environmental Services states this bill will increase state and local expenditures, and may increase state, county and local revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2012 and each year thereafter. The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill may increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2012 and each year thereafter. There is no fiscal impact on county expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

The Department of Environmental Services states this bill requires municipalities, via property tax bills, to suggest an annual donation of $25 from each property owner for every toilet on the taxable property with any donations being deposited into the wastewater treatment and septic system fund. Additionally this bill requires the Department to develop the rules relative to requirements for qualification for funding and to disburse grants from the fund. The Department estimates this bill has the potential to generate $0 to $33,066,950 for the fund. The Department assumes there are two toilets per household in the state and based on 2009 information from the State Office of Energy and Planning there are 611,339 households, resulting in 1,222,678 toilets (611,339 households * 2 toilets). In addition, the Department assumes there are approximately 100,000 toilets for the hotels, motels, rooming houses, and retail, commercial and industrial establishments. The maximum amount of revenue to the fund on an annual basis if a $25 donation is made for every toilet would be $33,066,950 (1,322,678 toilets * $25 donation). The Department would incur an indeterminable expense related to developing rules and disbursing grants from the fund. The Department states local governments will have expenses related to collecting, reporting, and depositing funds. To the extent state, county and local governments receive a grant, they would have increased revenue.

The New Hampshire Municipal Association states municipalities may have increased expenses related to including the required notice on tax bills and to deposit any contributions with the State. The Association has no information to estimate the impact on local expenditures.

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