Virtual Public Hearing on Proposed Amendments to Threatened and Endangered Species Rules on April 8.
There will be a joint public hearing on both the NHDES and NHFG draft rules on April 8. Click the link below to the view the press release from NH Fish and Game. The press release provides the login information needed to attend the virtual event, as well as a links to the proposed draft rules. We encourage all members to review the draft rule changes and to attend the virtual public hearing.
Mourning the loss of a member.
It is with heavy heart that we have lost one of our members.
MEMBERSHIPS NOW PAYABLE VIA PAYPAL!
1/12/21
A message from your NHANRS Membership Chair
2021 Membership Dues are Due!
The NHANRS Board is excited to present the Annual Meeting in two morning Zoom session on January 22 and 29th – and to register at the member price, your membership renewal must be received by January 21! Not planning to attend the Annual Meeting? Please send your membership renewal anyways. An up-to-date membership assures that you will be on our e-mailing list to receive announcements about the workshops planned for 2021, and you will get member pricing on them. Don’t let your membership expire – Take an important step towards maintaining your professional credentials and staying connected with your fellow practitioners by renewing your membership today!
Sarah Barnum, Membership Chair
Get your forms and Pay Online on the memberships tab of this site for 2021 now!
https://nhanrs.com/membership/
ANNUAL MEETING TIME!
NHANRS 2021 Annual Conference
Online Event
Friday, January 22, 2021 and
Friday January 29,2021
The NH Association of Natural Resource Scientist Annual Conference will be held over 2 Fridays on-line. The conference has been developed to reflect current hot topics. Currently, the NHDES is reacting and addressing the need for wildlife studies because of a 2020 court case requiring more than a signoff from NH Natural Heritage Bureau. Our keynote speaker, Scott Mason, Executive Director of NH Fish and Game will provide an overview of the Department and his focus in leading the department. Nate Harvey will provide some perspectives on identifying wildlife on sites and Tracy Tarr will give some insight on conducting wildlife studies for NHDES Alteration of Terrain requirements. The first day will finish off with the return of Jason Reimers who will discuss ethics for Natural Resource Scientists. Ready to register? Click Here.
PAST EVENTS
WORKSHOP: Q&A WITH NHDES WETLANDS BUREAU
Rules Permitting and Updates
November 6, 2020 – 1:00 PM
The NHDES Wetlands Bureau has proposed to have a semi-regular meeting with NHANRS. This on-line meeting will be held on November 6th. The Wetlands Bureau will start off with an update on changes in regulations that are either recently passed or are being considered. From there there will be a question and answer session with questions that have been submitted prior to the meeting. If you would like to participate and have a specific question, send them to mary.a.tilton@des.nh.gov with “Question for NHARNS Q&A with Wetlands Bureau 11/6/20″ as your Subject Line in the email .
Registration – On-Line Registration to a zoom meeting.
Cost – Free
NEW WORKSHOP: WILDLIFE AND ALTERATION OF TERRAIN PERMITTING CONFERENCE (via Zoom)
October 23, 2020 – 1:00 – 2:00 PM
As you may know, the NHDES Alteration of Terrain regulations now requires a wildlife study for all projects. This is still in its early days and there is some confusion that we hope can be cleared up. NHDES and NH Fish and Game are holding listening sessions with interested people. The first one was at the end of August and there are more to come. For the time being, we have a program to work with where qualified wildlife biologists submit reports to NH Fish and Game, and NH Fish and Game has input on potential impact to any rare or threatened species.
We have scheduled a 1-hour conference call seminar with NHDES and Fish and Game for an update for our members. This will include a discussion of the current status of the regulation by Ridgley Mauck of NH Department of Environmental Services and a discussion on the process and procedure for working with Melissa.
Registration: On-Line Registration to a zoom meeting.
Cost: Free
MAIN STREET RELIEF FUND
The Governor has authorized the allocation and expenditure of an initial $400 million in emergency funding from the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (“flex funds”) to provide emergency financial relief to New Hampshire small for-profit businesses due to the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. However, in order to provide the most effective relief as quickly as possible, New Hampshire small businesses desiring to obtain relief will first be required to provide information concerning their…Read More
UPDATE: The program has now entered Phase 2 (known as MSRF 2.0) and an additional $100M has been allocated to the small businesses of NH.
https://www.goferr.nh.gov/covid-expenditures/main-street-relief-fund
EMERGENCY ORDER #29
Release: Governor Issues Emergency Order on Executive Branch Deadlines and Requirements – Information on Changes to NHDES Programs
News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 9, 2020
CONTACT: Jim Martin, (603) 271-3710
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PLUS: EMERGENCY ORDER EXHIBIT H
Regarding Professional Licensure and Certification. May 19, 2020
Read the Order (PDF)
EMERGENCY ORDER #29
Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order #29 to establish temporary modifications of certain Executive Branch deadlines and requirements, including New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services requirements, as part of the state’s efforts to respond to COVID-19. The Emergency Order affects requirements for both the regulated community and NHDES programs to comply with deadlines associated with in the likelihood of increased adverse public health impacts as a result of encouraging otherwise unnecessary in-person contact, travel, or similar activities.
The Emergency Order allowed the following:
Training
- No NHDES certification, license, or other approval, the renewal of which is dependent on the availability of department training, shall expire prior to the department offering such training.
Air Resource Division
- For any entity or person holding an asbestos license or certification that would otherwise expire during the state of emergency, the expiration date is extended by six months.
- For any person with a current asbestos certification, that person will be allowed to perform work at asbestos projects without a current training certificate until such time as the required trainings become available.
- For permitted sources, the deadline to submit an annual emission report, nitrogen oxides statement, volatile organic compound statement, and annual compliance certification are extended to May 15, 2020.
- The deadline to submit annual emission fees is extended to June 15, 2020.
- For non-Title V permits that would otherwise expire during the state of emergency, the term of the permit is extended by six months.
- Permit applications that would otherwise need to be submitted 90 days prior to permit expiration will not be due until 30 days prior to permit expiration during the state of emergency.
Waste Management Division
The Emergency Order provides regulatory relief for New Hampshire underground storage tank operators, hazardous waste coordinators, solid waste operators, solid waste facilities, and asbestos disposal site owners as follows:
- Expiration dates for underground storage tank operator certifications coming due during the state of emergency have been extended by 180 days.
- Expiration dates for NHDES-issued hazardous waste coordinator certifications coming due during the state of emergency have been extended by 180 days, and certification renewal should be scheduled within 90 days of completion of the state of emergency.
- NHDES will endeavor to process all applications as expeditiously as possible; however, with the Governor’s consent, Commissioner Scott may extend solid waste facility permit and waste-derived product certification processing deadlines, if necessary due to the state of emergency.
- The submittal timeframes for solid waste facility reports due during the state of emergency have been extended by 90 days. This extension does not apply to incident reports for emergencies or action level conditions.
- Expiration dates for solid waste operator certifications coming due during the state of emergency have been extended by 180 days.
- The $25 late fee for late solid waste operator certification has been suspended for all applications received during, and up to 90 days after, the state of emergency.
- The Solid Waste Rules require that each facility have at least one principal solid waste operator present at the facility during operations. The Governor has authorized NHDES to waive this requirement, at the request of the facility, if conditions related to the state of emergency prevent compliance. For facilities seeking this relief, NHDES is authorized to place conditions on the waivers to ensure safe operations of the facilities.
- NHDES will endeavor to process all inactive asbestos disposal site work plans and waiver requests as expeditiously as possible; however, with the Governor’s consent, Commissioner Scott may extend inactive asbestos disposal site work plan and waiver request processing deadlines, if necessary due to the state of emergency.
Water Division
- The wetland application requirements for signature by a town or city clerk, by a municipal conservation commission, by a local river management advisory committee, or by the New Hampshire Rivers Council may be met through electronic means by sending your email with key information including land owner and location address to DES.WetlandsTownConn@des.nh.gov.
- The NHDES is continuing to process all Alteration of Terrain, Shoreland and Wetland applications as expeditiously as possible. However, with the Governor’s approval, Commissioner Scott may extend these permit processing timelines if the state of emergency prevents timely processing.
- Deadlines for processing of Shoreland Permit by Notifications received during the declared state of emergency are extended 30 days.
- Because of the state of emergency, all large public water systems are only required to test back flow prevention devices annually for 2020.
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