enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

SB 592 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

02/19/2026 0516s
9Apr2026... 1277h
06/04/2026 2196EBA
2026 SESSION
26-2174
08/05

SENATE BILL
592

AN ACT
enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Rep. C. Harvey, Ches. 6; Rep. Bixby, Straf. 13; Rep. Ouellet, Coos 3

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors.

II. Creates a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

III. Creates the position of director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program within the department of environmental services.

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

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/19/2026 0516s
9Apr2026... 1277h
06/04/2026 2196EBA 26-2174
08/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

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

1 Conservation Commission; Habitat Strongholds and Wildlife Corridors Included. Amend RSA 36-A:2 to read as follows:
36-A:2 Conservation Commission. A city or town which accepts the provisions of this chapter may establish a conservation commission, hereinafter called the commission, for the proper utilization and protection of the natural resources and for the protection of watershed resources of said city or town. Such commission shall conduct researches into its local land and water areas and shall seek to coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes, and may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it deems necessary for its work. It shall keep an [
index
]
inventory
of all open space and natural, aesthetic or ecological areas
, including habitat strongholds as defined in RSA 207:1, XIII-a and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1, XXXVI,
within the city or town, as the case may be, with the plan of obtaining information pertinent to proper utilization of such areas, including lands owned by the state or lands owned by a town or city.
The inventory of habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors is intended for informational purposes for regional planning commissions and shall not be utilized as the basis for municipal zoning or planning purposes.
It shall keep an [
index
]
inventory
of all marshlands, swamps and all other wet lands in a like manner, and may recommend to the city council or selectmen or to the department of natural and cultural resources a program for the protection, development or better utilization of all such areas. It shall keep accurate records of its meetings and actions and shall file an annual report which shall be printed in the annual town or municipal report. The commission may appoint such clerks and other employees or subcommittees as it may from time to time require.

2 Purposes; Habitat Strongholds and Wildlife Corridors Included. Amend RSA 36:45 to read as follows:
36:45 Purposes. The purpose of this subdivision shall be to enable municipalities and counties to join in the formation of regional planning commissions whose duty it shall be to prepare a coordinated plan for the development of a region, taking into account present and future needs with a view toward encouraging the most appropriate use of land, such as for agriculture, forestry,

industry, commerce, and housing; the facilitation of transportation and communication
,

including habitat strongholds as defined in RSA 207:1, XIII-a and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1, XXXVI
; the proper and economic location of public utilities and services; the development of adequate recreational areas; the promotion of good civic design; and the wise, efficient expenditure of public funds. The aforesaid plan shall be made in order to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the region and its inhabitants. To promote these purposes the division of planning and community development shall delineate planning regions for the state so that each municipality of the state will fall within a delineated region and shall have the opportunity of forming or joining the regional planning commission for that planning region. In determining these regions the division shall consider such factors as community of interest and homogeneity, existing metropolitan and regional planning agencies, patterns of communication and transportation, geographic features and natural boundaries, extent of urban development, relevancy of the region for provision of governmental services and functions and its use for administering state and federal programs, the existence of physical, social and economic problems of a regional character, and other related characteristics. To accommodate changing conditions, the division may adjust the boundaries of the planning regions, after consultation with the respective regional planning commissions.

3 Regional Planning Commission; Powers and Duties; Habitat Strongholds and Wildlife Corridors Included. Amend RSA 36:47, I to read as follows:
I. A regional planning commission's powers shall be advisory, and shall generally pertain to the development of the region within its jurisdiction as a whole. Nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to reduce or limit any of the powers, duties or obligations of planning boards in individual municipalities. The area of jurisdiction of a regional planning commission shall include the areas of the respective municipalities within the delineated planning region. It shall be the duty of a regional planning commission to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the development of the region within its jurisdiction, including the commission's recommendations, among other things, for the use

of land within the region; for the general location, extent, type of use, and character of highways, major streets, intersections, parking lots, railroads, aircraft landing areas, waterways and bridges, and other means of transportation, communication, and other purposes;
including a consideration of habitat strongholds as defined in RSA 207:1, XIII-a and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1, XXXVI;
for the development, extent, and general location of parks, playgrounds, shore front developments, parkways, and other public reservations and recreation areas; for the location, type, and character of public buildings, schools, community centers, and other public property; and for the improvement, redevelopment, rehabilitation, or conservation of residential, business, industrial and other areas; including the development of programs for the modernization and coordination of buildings, housing, zoning and subdivision regulations of municipalities and their enforcement on a coordinated and unified basis. A regional planning commission may authorize its employees or consultants to render assistance on local planning problems to any municipality or county which is not a member of said regional planning commission. The cost of such assistance shall be paid entirely by the municipality or county to which the service is rendered or partly by said municipality or county and partly by any gift, grant, or contribution which may be available for such work or by combination thereof. Said commission shall keep a strict account of the cost of such assistance and shall provide such municipality or county with an itemized statement.

4 New Paragraph; Executive Director Fish and Game Commission; Consultations Regarding Habitat Strongholds and Wildlife Corridors. Amend RSA 206:10 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. The executive director of the fish and game commission may consult with regional planning commissions, conservation commissions, and the department of transportation concerning habitat strongholds as defined in RSA 207:1, XIII-a and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1, XXXVI.

5 New Section; Department of Environmental Services. Amend RSA 21-O by inserting after section 14 the following new sections:
21-O:14-a Winnipesaukee River Basin Program; Position Established.
I. There is established in the office of the commissioner the unclassified position of director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (WRBP). The director shall be qualified to hold the position by reason of education and experience, and shall perform such duties as the commissioner from time to time may authorize. The director shall be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the WRPB as well as the execution of all programs and projects.
II. The commissioner shall nominate, for appointment by the governor, with the consent of the executive council, the unclassified director of the WRPB, who shall serve for a term of 4 years.
III. The salary of the director of the WRPB shall be as specified in RSA 94:1-a.
IV. Funding shall be transferred into a new expenditure class number 11 within accounting unit 03-44-44-442010-1300.
21-O:14-b Winnipesaukee River Basin Program Commission.
I. There is established a commission to study transferring ownership and/or operation of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program (WRBP) to an alternative authority which supports the municipalities served by the WRBP.
II. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(b) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(c) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.
(d) One member of the public, appointed by the Winnipesaukee River Basin program advisory committee.
(e) One member of the public, appointed by the mayor of Laconia.
III. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
IV. The commission shall:
(a) Identify all of the state-owned physical assets that are necessary for the operation of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program (WRBP).
(b) Evaluate whether the WRBP should continue to be owned and operated by the state or whether ownership and/or operational control should be transferred to an alternative authority.
(c) Determine if ownership of the WRBP were to be transferred to such an authority, how should the value of the assets being transferred be determined.
(d) Identify what statutory provisions would need to be amended in order to transfer ownership and/or operational control of the WRBP.
(e) Receive input from the department of environmental services, the Winnipesaukee River Basin program advisory board, and the municipalities served by the WRBP.
(f) Identify any other issues that may need to be addressed in order to transfer ownership and/or operational control of the WRBP to an alternative authority. Issues may include but not be limited to legal requirements to create a separate regional authority and governance structure; service and intermunicipal agreements; workforce considerations; organizational requirements for finance, administration and engineering; means for sustainable operations and maintenance; mechanisms for capital projects and bonding/financing future infrastructure costs; organizational structure shortfalls; transfer of federal permit authorities; asset transfer costs and requirements; transfer of legacy financial obligations; and conceptual transition sequence and timeline.
V. The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Three members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
VI. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2026.

6 Compensation of Certain State Offices; Salaries Established; Position Added. Amend RSA 94:1-a, I(b) by inserting the following:
JJ Department of environmental services director of Winnipesaukee River Basin Program

7 Repeal. RSA 21-O:14-b, relative to the commission to study transferring the ownership and/or operation of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program (WRBP) to an alternative authority, is repealed.

8 Effective Date.
I. Sections 5 and 6 of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
II. Section 7 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2026.
III. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA
26-2174
04/14/2026

SB 592-FN-
FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT # 2026-1277h)

AN ACT
enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Estimated State Impact

FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029

Revenue
$0
$176,000
$182,000
$192,000

Revenue Fund(s)
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program Fund

Expenditures*
$0
$176,000
$182,000
$192,000

Funding Source(s)
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program Fund

Appropriations*
$0
$0
$0
$0

Funding Source(s)
None

*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029

County Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

County Expenditures
$0
$0
$0
$0

Local Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

Local Expenditures
$0
$176,000
$182,000
$192,000

METHODOLOGY:
This bill enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creates a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority which is repealed November 1, 2026, and has no fiscal impact. Section 5 thru 6 of this bill establishes an unclassified Director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program with the Department of Environmental Services.

The Department states the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program is responsible for collecting and treating wastewater for 10 municipalities. The newly authorized unclassified Director position would be part of the Department of Environmental Services and is assumed to be grade JJ, step 1. Estimated salary and benefits for the position are $176,000 in FY 2027, $182,000 in FY 2028, and $192,000 in FY 2029, which would increase the Department’s operating budget by those amounts. The Department further states the municipalities participating in the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program reimburse the Department quarterly for program costs; therefore, while the Department’s budget would increase, the net cost to the State would be $0 due to reimbursement payments from the municipalities. Municipal expenditures would increase by the amounts necessary to reimburse the Department for the cost of this position.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Environmental Services