The New Hampshire Senate on Thursday killed a bill that would have banned the construction of landfills within two miles of state parks. The bill, House
Local fight over landfill lands before Senate committee
By Garry Rayno - InDepthNH | May 11, 2021
State Rep. Edith Tucker, D-Randolph, is pictured in Representatives Hall in the State House, pre-COVID. (Photo by PAULA TRACY)
CONCORD Conflicting interests collided Monday over a bill to require a two-mile buffer between a state park and a landfill.
Although the bill does not target a specific project, residents of a North Country community fought their local battle over a proposed landfill that would be close to Forest Lake State Park before a Senate committee.
The division within Dalton over the Casella Waste proposed landfill reflects the split between competing state interests as environmental groups supported House Bill 177, while professional engineering and design groups supported the project along with a lineup of Casella officials.
Published: 4/18/2021 9:00:20 AM
On April 9th, HB 177 passed in the NH House. Representatives from both parties worked behind the scenes on the last day of the session. HB 177 would create a 2-mile setback to protect all NH state parks from an abutting landfill development. Casella Waste Systems first introduced itself to Dalton in April 2019, when it attempted a failed “lot-line adjustment” to sneakily cut out neighboring abutters, including NH state parks, in order to circumvent the notification process required during the permitting process. Casella chose this site simply because it found a large landowner willing to sell to them in a small, poor, rural town with no zoning.
NH House passes bill regulating landfills
April 14, 2021REGION On April 9, the New Hampshire House passed a bi-partisan bill, that establishes a two mile buffer around all New Hampshire State Parks, in order to protect them from any landfill developments. Sponsors of the bill include Rep. Edith Tucker, Coös 5, Representative William Hatch, Coös 6, Timothy Egan, Grafton 2, Dennis Thompson, Coos 1, Larry LaFlamme Coös 3 and State Senator Erin Hennessey, District 1.
This bill prohibits the siting of new landfills, excluding expansions of existing landfills, near state parks. This bill also defines state parks for the purposes of prohibiting the siting of new landfills.
A New Hampshire state trooper was in stable condition in a hospital Wednesday night after becoming involved in a confrontation with a male suspect who was killed, authorities said.