This bill amends RSA 485-A:17 to increase the threshold for terrain alteration permitting fees from 100,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet for properties not subject to RSA 483-B:9. The new legal language specifies that the fee for plans encompassing an area of at least 200,000 square feet but less than 300,000 square feet will be set at $3,125. For properties subject to RSA 483-B:9, the fee structure remains unchanged, with a threshold of at least 50,000 square feet for a fee of $3,125. The bill also stipulates that all fees collected will be deposited into the Water Resources Fund.

The fiscal impact of this bill is expected to be significant, with an estimated decrease in state revenue ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 annually due to the elimination of approximately 79 applications from the permitting process. While the exact impact on state expenditures is indeterminable, potential reductions are estimated between $10,000 and $100,000 annually. At the local level, municipalities may face increased costs for contracting engineering firms for project reviews that would have previously been managed through state permits, leading to an anticipated increase in local expenditures of $500,000 to $1,000,000 annually. The bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 485-A:17