SB 592 — enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

CHAPTER 337 SB 592 - VERSIONFINAL ADOPTEDVERSION BY BOTH BODIES 02/19/2026 0516s 9Apr2026...

Creates the position of director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Programprogram within the department of environmental services.

CHAPTER 337 SB 592 - VERSIONFINAL ADOPTEDVERSION BY BOTH BODIES 02/19/2026 0516s 9Apr2026...

1337:1 Conservation Commission;

2337:2 Purposes;

the facilitation of transportation and communication, including SB 592 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 2 - habitat strongholds as defined in RSA 207:1, XIII-a and wildlife corridors as defined in RSA 207:1, XXXVI;

The aforesaid plan shall be made in CHAPTER 337 SB 592 - FINAL VERSION - Page 2 - order to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the region and its inhabitants.

To promote these purposes the division of planning and community development shall delineate planning regions for the state so that each municipality of the state will fall within a delineated region and shall have the opportunity of forming or joining the regional planning commission for that planning region.regionIn determining these regions the division shall consider such factors as community of interest and homogeneity, existing metropolitan and regional planning agencies, patterns of communication and transportation, geographic features and natural boundaries, extent of urban development, relevancy of the region for provision of governmental services and functions and its use for administering state and federal programs, the existence of physical, social and economic problems of a regional character, and other related characteristics.

In determining these regions the division shall consider such factors as community of interest and homogeneity, existing metropolitan and regional planning agencies, patterns of communication and transportation, geographic features and natural boundaries, extent of urban development, relevancy of the region for provision of governmental services and functions and its use for administering state and federal programs, the existence of physical, social and economic problems of a regional character, and other related characteristics.

3337:3 Regional Planning Commission;

The area of jurisdiction of a regional planning commission shall include the areas of the respective municipalities within the delineated planning regionItregion. shall be the duty of a regional planning commission to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the development of the region within its jurisdiction, including the commission's recommendations, among other things, for the use of land within the region;

It shall be the duty of a regional planning commission to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the development of the region within its jurisdiction, including the commission's recommendations, among other things, for the use of land within the region;

including the development of programs for the modernization and coordination of buildings, housing, zoning and subdivision regulations of municipalities and their enforcement on a coordinated and unified basis.Abasis. regional planning commission may authorize its employees or consultants to render assistance on local planning SB 592 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 3 - problems to any municipality or county which is not a member of said regional planning commission.

A regional planning commission may authorize its employees or consultants to render assistance on local planning problems to any municipality or county which is not a member of said regional planning commission.

4337:4 New Paragraph;

CHAPTER 337 SB 592 - FINAL VERSION - Page 3 - V.

5337:5 New Section;Sections;

There is established in the office of the commissioner the unclassified position of director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Programprogram (WRBP).

SB 592 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 4 - (e) One member of the public, appointed by the mayor of Laconia.

CHAPTER 337 SB 592 - FINAL VERSION - Page 4 - (e) Receive input from the department of environmental services, the Winnipesaukee River Basin program advisory board, and the municipalities served by the WRBP.

6337:6 Compensation of Certain State Offices;

JJ Department of environmental services director of Winnipesaukee River Basin Programprogram 7337:7 Repeal.

8337:8 Effective Date.

SB 592 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 5 - I.

LBAApproved: 26-2174 04/14/2026 SB 592-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT # 2026-1277h) AN ACT enabling regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creating a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority.

FISCALJuly IMPACT:15, 2026 Effective Date:

EstimatedI. State Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Revenue $0 $176,000 $182,000 $192,000 Revenue Fund(s) Winnipesaukee River Basin Program Fund Expenditures* $0 $176,000 $182,000 $192,000 Funding Source(s) Winnipesaukee River Basin Program Fund Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source(s) None *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill Estimated Political Subdivision Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Expenditures $0 $176,000 $182,000 $192,000 METHODOLOGY:

ThisSections bill5 enabling& regional,6 conservation,effective andJuly energy15, resource2026 planningII. for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors and creates a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin program to an alternative authority which is repealed November 1, 2026, and has no fiscal impact.

Section 57 thrueffective 6November of1, this2026 billIII. establishes an unclassified Director of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program with the Department of Environmental Services.

TheRemainder Departmenteffective statesSeptember the13, Winnipesaukee2026 River Basin Program is responsible for collecting and treating wastewater for 10 municipalities.

The newly authorized unclassified Director position would be part of the Department of Environmental Services and is assumed to be grade JJ, step 1.

Estimated salary and benefits for the position are $176,000 in FY 2027, $182,000 in FY 2028, and $192,000 in FY 2029, which would increase the Department’s operating budget by those amounts.

The Department further states the municipalities participating in the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program reimburse the Department quarterly for program costs;

therefore, while the Department’s budget would increase, the net cost to the State would be $0 due to reimbursement payments from the municipalities.

Municipal expenditures would increase by the amounts necessary to reimburse the Department for the cost of this position.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Environmental Services