SB 631 — authorizing the sale of toll credits to fund a newly established noise barrier construction fund for the design and construction of noise barrier projects.

SB 631-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED BY THE SENATE 02/05/2026 0350s 02/05/2026 0487s SESSION 26-2221 06/05 SENATE BILL 631-FN AN ACT installingauthorizing the sale of toll credits to fund a soundnewly established noise barrier onconstruction Interstatefund 93for southbound.the design and construction of noise barrier projects.

Transportation ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── AMENDED ANALYSIS This bill directsauthorizes the departmentsale of transportationtoll credits to installfund sounda barriersnewly alongestablished noise barrier construction fund for the southbounddesign sideand construction of Interstatenoise 93,barrier betweenprojects, Pillsburyprovided Roadthat andthere are sufficient turnpike toll credits for the Exitstate 4match Southboundfor off-ramp.certain federal apportionment totals.

SB 631-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED BY THE SENATE 02/19/2026 0350s 02/19/2026 0487s 26-2221 06/05 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT installingauthorizing the sale of toll credits to fund a soundnewly established noise barrier onconstruction Interstatefund 93for southbound.the design and construction of noise barrier projects.

1 DepartmentNew ofSection; Transportation;

I-93Noise SouthboundBarrier InstallationConstruction ofFund. Sound Barriers.

TheAmend departmentRSA of228 transportationby shallinserting installafter soundsection barriers228:12-a beginning at Pillsbury Road in Londonderry, New Hampshire and running south along the westfollowing sidenew ofsection: Interstate 93 bordering the Woodmont Development property line for a distance of approximately 1,845 feet to the Route 102 exit ramp (Exit 4) up to the stone cut cliff along the exit ramp.

2228:12-b EffectiveNoise Date.Barrier Construction Fund.

ThisI. act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBAProvided 26-2221there Revisedare 1/7/26sufficient SBturnpike 631-FN-toll FISCALcredits NOTEfor ASthe INTRODUCEDstate ANmatch ACTfor installingthe afederal soundapportionment barriertotals for 5 years based on Interstatethe 93current southbound.federal fiscal year and the preceding 4 federal fiscal years, the commissioner is authorized in his or her discretion to sell up to $10,000,000 per year in turnpike toll credits in compliance with federal rules and regulations and turnpike covenants, said sale being subject to the approval of the fiscal committee of the general court and the joint legislative capital project overview committee.

II.

The revenue from the sale of the turnpike toll credits shall be deposited into a restricted fund to be established and known as the noise barrier construction fund, said revenue to be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the department of transportation.

Expenditures from the noise barrier construction fund made by the commissioner being subject to the approval of the fiscal committee of the general court and the joint legislative capital project overview committee.

III.

The commissioner is authorized to use said revenue for the design and construction of noise barrier projects that meet the Type II noise barrier criteria set forth in the department’s Policy and Procedural Guidelines for the Assessment and Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise for Type I & Type II Projects, as updated and amended.

The commissioner may consider additional authorized adjustment factors for the determination of eligibility after consultation with an affected community concerning impacts to the community.

2 New Subparagraph;

Dedicated Account;

Noise Barrier Construction Fund.

Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (410) the following new subparagraph:

(411) Moneys in the noise barrier construction fund, established in RSA 228:12-b.

3 Effective Date.

This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

LBA 26-2221 02/24/2026 SB 631-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2026-0487s) AN ACT authorizing the sale of toll credits to fund a newly established noise barrier construction fund for the design and construction of noise barrier projects.

ThisEstimated State Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Revenue $0 Indeterminable Revenue Fund(s) Noise Barrier Construction Fund Expenditures* $0 Indeterminable Funding Source(s) Noise Barrier Construction Fund Appropriations* $0 Continually Appropriated Funding Source(s) Noise Barrier Construction Fund *Expenditure = Cost of bill does*Appropriation not= provideAuthorized funding.funding to cover cost of bill METHODOLOGY:

EstimatedThis Statebill Impactestablishes FYa 2026dedicated FYfund 2027for FYnoise 2028barrier FYconstruction 2029and Revenueauthorizes $0the $0Department $0of $0Transportation Revenueto Fund(s)generate Nonerevenue Expenditures*through $0the $0sale $8,071,875 $0 Funding Source(s) Highway Fund, Federal Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source(s) None *Expenditure = Cost of billTurnpike *Appropriationtoll =credits, Authorizedin fundingcompliance towith coverfederal costregulations ofand billTurnpike METHODOLOGY:bond covenants.

ThisThe bill wouldlimits requiresuch thesales Departmentto ofno Transportationmore than $10 million and requires that sufficient credits remain available to constructsupport soundfive barriersyears alongof the I-93federal southboundprogram, sidebased betweenon the Pillsburycurrent Roadfederal andfiscal year requirement plus the I-93prior Exitfour 4federal southboundfiscal off-ramp.years.

The Department states the barriersfiscal areimpact expectedcannot to be aboutdetermined 1,845at feetthis longtime andas 25there feetis high,no totalingestablished roughlymarket 46,125for squarethe feet,sale atof anTurnpike estimatedtoll costcredits, ofand $8,071,875,the basedfederal onrequirements anapplicable estimatedto costany ofsale $175are perunknown. square foot.

ThePotential Departmentvariables statesinclude federalrestrictions fundingon couldthe onlyallowable beuse usedof ifproceeds, thefederal projectparticipation meetsor staterevenue-sharing noise policy requirements, otherwiseand itadditional wouldadministrative need full state or alternativereporting funding.obligations.

IfThese federalfactors eligibilitywould isaffect confirmedboth and the billamount isof enacted,revenue therealized projectand wouldany displaceassociated anotherexpenditures. project, or projects, currently in the Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Plan.