This bill seeks to improve regional conservation and energy resource planning by integrating habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors into existing frameworks. It amends RSA 36-A:2 to mandate that conservation commissions in cities and towns maintain an inventory of open spaces and ecological areas, specifically including habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1. The bill clarifies that this inventory is for informational purposes only and cannot be utilized for municipal zoning or planning. Additionally, it amends RSA 36:45 to ensure that regional planning commissions take these ecological areas into account in their coordinated development plans.

Moreover, the bill establishes a commission to study the potential transfer of ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (WRBP) to an alternative authority and creates a new unclassified position of director for the WRBP within the Department of Environmental Services. The director will be nominated by the commissioner and appointed by the governor for a four-year term. The bill also amends RSA 206:10 to allow the executive director of the fish and game commission to consult with various planning and conservation bodies regarding habitat and wildlife management. The commission studying the WRBP transfer will consist of legislative members and public appointees, and it is required to report its findings by November 1, 2026. The bill repeals the previous commission related to the WRBP transfer study, effective on the same date, and indicates that while the Department of Environmental Services will incur additional operating costs due to the new director position, the net cost to the state will be zero, as municipalities will reimburse these expenses.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-A:2, 36:45, 36:47, 36:55, 206:10
As Amended by the Senate: 36-A:2, 36:45, 36:47, 206:10, 94:1-a
As Amended by the House: 36-A:2, 36:45, 36:47, 206:10, 94:1-a, 21-O:14-b
SB592 text: 36-A:2, 36:45, 36:47, 36:55, 206:10