For State Senate
"New Hampshire will be better off economically if we participate in RGGI," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth). "As the rest of the region begins to implement RGGI, electricity costs will increase. If New Hampshire participates, this additional cost can be offset by the sale of RGGI allowances allocated to New Hampshire and their reinvestment in energy efficiency and conservation measures."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Contact: Senator Martha Fuller Clark (603) 271-6933
SENATE VOTES TO SUPPORT REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE
CONCORD - The Senate voted today 16-8 in support of legislation to allow New Hampshire to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, is a market-based program that involves nine other states and is expected to reduce carbon pollution, improve energy efficiency and ultimately save ratepayers money. The legislation already has passed in the House. Today's Senate vote sends the bill to the Senate Finance Committee for review.
"New Hampshire will be better off economically if we participate in RGGI," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth). "As the rest of the region begins to implement RGGI, electricity costs will increase. If New Hampshire participates, this additional cost can be offset by the sale of RGGI allowances allocated to New Hampshire and their reinvestment in energy efficiency and conservation measures."
RGGI would require electric utilities to buy a carbon allowance for each ton of carbon they emit. Participating in a regional auction of those allowances, New Hampshire would raise millions of dollars for local businesses and homeowners to use toward reducing energy use, both heat and electricity, through conservation and improved efficiency. Participation also would reduce the need for expensive upgrades to the state's old fossil fuel-based power plants.
To address concerns from the business community, the Senate Energy, Environment and Economic Development Committee capped carbon allowances starting at $6 per ton. The original legislation called for a limit that starts at $12 per ton.
"You don't have to believe in climate change to favor the bill because there is a strong economic argument for improving efficiency and conservation given our soaring energy prices," said Senator Harold Janeway (D-Webster).
"All citizens in the state benefit from a balanced supply of housing which is affordable to individuals and families of low and moderate income."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 21, 2008
Contact: Senator Martha Fuller Clark (603) 271-6933
SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION ON WORKFORCE HOUSING
CONCORD - The Senate this week passed two bills designed to make it easier for developers to build low- and moderate-income housing for working people.
The legislation embraces a major goal of the state's Business and Industry Association, which identified expanded opportunities for workforce housing as a top priority this year.
"All citizens in the state benefit from a balanced supply of housing which is affordable to individuals and families of low and moderate income," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark, (D-Portsmouth) who sponsored Senate Bills 421 and 342. "The housing shortage poses a threat to the state's economic growth by creating a barrier to the expansion of the labor force and adversely affects the ability of many communities to host new businesses."
Senate Bill 421, which passed 23-1, calls on municipalities to provide "reasonable and realistic opportunities for the development of workforce housing" and declares that the opportunity for such development "shall not be prohibited or discouraged by use of municipal planning and zoning powers or by unreasonable interpretation of such powers."
Lawmakers heard testimony about local zoning strategies - for example those that require large lot sizes - that made it impossible for developers to build anything but luxury homes or age-restricted housing for elders in some communities.
Senate Bill 342, which also passed 23-1, creates a new and expedited appeal process for developers to challenge the decisions of planning or zoning boards that unfairly deny a project that would include affordable housing for working families
Affordable housing advocates say developers currently don't want to take on the expense of a court challenge and instead restrict any projects that contain workforce housing to communities that will accept them - putting an unfair burden on certain municipalities when workforce housing opportunities need to be spread throughout the state.
Both bills head to the House, along with Senate Bill 199, which would change how taxes are assessed on rent-restricted properties that meet certain conditions. The goal is to assist those who offer subsidized housing and encourage the development of additional subsidized units.
"For my constituents who rely on this bridge, it is essential that we act quickly. Today we've taken steps to correct problems that resulted from more than 20 years of deferred maintenance. This recognizes that maintaining Portsmouth's infrastructure is critical not only to the community but to the entire state's economic health."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 17, 2008
SENATE PASSES BILL TO ALLOW FOR IMMEDIATE BRIDGE REPAIR
CONCORD - In an effort to ensure a critical bridge can continue to function, the Senate voted today to transfer the Portsmouth-Kittery Bridge to the state Department of Transportation to allow for immediate repairs. The bill now heads to the House.
"For my constituents who rely on this bridge, it is essential that we act quickly. Today we've taken steps to correct problems that resulted from more than 20 years of deferred maintenance. This recognizes that maintaining Portsmouth's infrastructure is critical not only to the community but to the entire state's economic health," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth).
The 1937 bridge across the Piscataqua River, also known as the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, has been in the care of the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority. The authority's decision about 30 years ago to stop collecting tolls when the I-95 bridge opened left it with a steadily declining source of revenue to pay for repairs, and over time, the bridge was allowed to deteriorate. The authority supports House Bill 754 to dissolve its membership.
Plans call for Maine and New Hampshire to share the costs of maintaining the bridge going forward but this legislation will allow for some immediate short-term repairs to the drawbridge mechanism. Most of the cost for the immediate repairs will be reimbursed by the federal government because the bridge provides a critical rail link to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
The main drawbridge mechanism stuck just last month and a backup system was required to get the bridge working. The bridge must be raised to allow ships to pass underneath into the harbor.
"This bridge is vital not just to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard but to our ability to get ships and tankers in and out of Portsmouth Harbor, including those that carry home heating oil for the region," Burling said.
The Sarah Long Bridge also will be critical as an alternative route when much-needed repairs to the red-listed Memorial Bridge are made, he said. Memorial Bridge is one of the key projects identified in the Governor's new 10-year transportation plan.
"We have no more time to put off the necessary repairs," Burling said. "New Hampshire does not want to appear on the morning edition of CNN news with a whole bunch of cars in the river," he said referring to the bridge collapse last year in Minneapolis.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Contact: Senator Martha Fuller Clark (603) 271-6933
SENATORS SUPPORT BILL TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING
CONCORD - Joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative will allow New Hampshire to reduce carbon pollution, improve energy efficiency and ultimately save ratepayers money.
So testified lawmakers today in support of House Bill 1434 which would allow New Hampshire to participate in a regional cap-and-trade program designed to reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming. Advocates spoke before the House Science, Technology and Energy Committee.
"ReGGI is a cost-effective, market-based program that will create jobs and drive growth. By 2018, ReGGI will increase New Hampshire's employment by more than 800 jobs and add more than $60 million to the economy. Ultimately, joining ReGGI means lower costs to electric consumers than not joining," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) referring to an economic analysis done by the University of New Hampshire's Ross Gittell.
Fuller Clark, the leading Senate sponsor of the bill, described the legislation as a companion piece to the Renewable Energy Act passed last year, which is expected to stimulate the growth of new sources of clean energy in the state.
House Majority Leader Mary Jane Wallner (D-Concord) called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative "one of the most important bills of the legislative session." Senate President Sylvia Larsen called it "the most important initiative we're working on this session."
"Providing clean energy and improving our energy efficiency means we can have economic growth and still address climate change in our state and across the region," Larsen (D-Concord) said.
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, dubbed "Reggie," would set a regional cap on carbon emissions starting in 2009. Electric utilities would be required to purchase allowances for every ton of carbon they emit into the atmosphere. This would provide a new incentive for utilities to seek out clean energy sources to reduce their carbon emissions. And it would generate revenue from the carbon allowances to reduce energy use by improving our energy efficiency.
Each participating state retains the right to decide how the allowances are distributed but thus far the nine other participating states in the Northeast have opted to engage in a regional auction to distribute their allowances and raise revenue. Following this road in New Hampshire is expected to generate $10-$12 million per year for the state.