This bill pertains to the notification process for applications of large groundwater withdrawals, requiring applicants to provide more extensive notice to the public and to offer testing of private wells in the vicinity of the proposed withdrawal. Specifically, the bill amends RSA 485-C:21, IV to mandate that the applicant must notify all property owners or residents within a 10,500-foot radius of the project by mail at least 30 days prior to the public hearing. The Department of Environmental Services is tasked with adopting rules for the form of such notice, and the list of notified persons must be delivered to the town clerk as an addendum to the application. Additionally, those receiving notice have 60 days after the public hearing to request testing of their wells at no cost, and if necessary, they may request reports of well performance for up to one year after the initial test.

The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that there is no direct fiscal impact on state revenue, but there could be significant state expenditures ranging from $1,862,000 to $10,667,000, depending on the number of tests requested and the cost of testing. The Department of Environmental Services estimates that 20% of notified property owners might request a well test, with costs per test ranging from $2,000 to $12,000. The bill does not provide funding to cover these estimated expenditures, nor does it authorize new positions to implement the bill. The impact on local expenditures is indeterminable, and the bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 485-C:21