The bill, HB 1141, proposes significant amendments to New Hampshire's mining laws, introducing new definitions for terms such as "dimension stone," "mining," "mineral," "reclamation," and "prospect." It defines "dimension stone" as rock used in construction and broadens the scope of "mining" to include all activities related to mineral extraction. The legislation establishes exemptions for mining activities that predate August 24, 1979, and for the crushing of rock for construction aggregate. Additionally, it mandates rulemaking for permitting, reclamation, and fees based on mineral volume, while also outlining requirements for public hearings concerning mining and prospecting activities.

The bill modifies the existing fee structure for mining applications, reducing application fees for certain projects and streamlining the per-square-foot fee for disturbances, effectively deleting the previous higher fee structure for larger areas. It emphasizes the need to halt disturbances of human remains encountered during mining and establishes a transition period for pending applications under current law. The bill also repeals RSA 12-E, which previously governed mining and reclamation, and updates references to mining permits, shifting oversight to RSA 485-A:17. The majority of the bill is set to take effect on July 10, 2026, with certain sections related to the repeal of statutes taking effect two years later, on July 10, 2028.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 485-C:21
As Amended by the House: 485-A:2, 485-A:6, 485-A:17, 21-O:12, 155-E:2-a, 483:12-a
As Amended by the Senate: 485-A:2, 485-A:17, 227-C:8-a, 21-O:12, 155-E:2-a, 483:12-a
Version adopted by both bodies: 485-A:2, 485-A:17, 227-C:8-a, 21-O:12, 155-E:2-a, 483:12-a
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 485-A:2, 485-A:17, 227-C:8-a, 21-O:12, 155-E:2-a, 483:12-a
HB1141 text: 485-C:21