This bill establishes a committee to study ways to facilitate municipal compliance with Clean Water Act requirements. The committee will consist of three members from the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one member from the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate. Members will receive mileage compensation at the legislative rate for their service on the committee. The committee's duties include reviewing RSA 426 and RSA 434 to assess whether having the Department of Environmental Services assume National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting authority would aid municipalities, how the state can help municipalities secure more funding for Clean Water Act NPDES requirements, and whether enabling legislation for regional sewage management programs would assist smaller municipalities.
The committee is required to elect a chairperson from among its members, and the first meeting must be held within 45 days of the act's effective date. A quorum for the committee is three members. The committee must report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the House Clerk, the Senate Clerk, the Governor, and the State Library by November 1, 2024. The act will take effect upon its passage. The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that there is no fiscal impact on state, county, and local expenditures or revenue, as marked by deletions in the fiscal impact section.