Four New Hampshire lawmakers, representing both sides of the aisle, spoke to environmental issues and what can be done to address them at the Souhegan Sustainability Fair in Wilton on Saturday.
One of the keys, the panel agreed, to being able to enact legislation that would effectively allow the country and state to protect its resources, it to have campaign finance reform.
State Reps. Jim McConnell, Bob L’Heureux, Marge Shepardson, and Mindi Messmer, weighed in on the state’s position on renewables, water quality, natural resources and campaign finance reform.
When asked about his opposition to the Kinder-Morgan Northeast Energy Direct project, which was once proposed to run through southern New Hampshire, McConnell (R-North Swanzey) said that the state’s U.S. representatives refused to come out strongly opposed to the project – in part, he said, because of financial interests.
McConnell spoke about a resolution he authored, which, in part, would request the U.S. Congress to put forth a constitutional amendment restricting campaign donations to the eligible voters from that district. L’Heureux echoed that sentiment.
“If you’re running for a New Hampshire seat, New Hampshire residents should know where your money comes from,” said L’Heureux, who added that Political Action Committees or PACs should not have a place in politics.
The panel also discussed the need to protect the state’s natural resources, particularly water.
Mindi Messmer said she became involved in politics after being involved with uncovering a pediatric cancer cluster in Rockingham County, which includes Rye, where she lives. While the cause has yet to be definitively identified, water contamination from sites like the Coakley Landfill have been considered.
Messmer said that it’s important that lawmakers with scientific backgrounds be involved with legislation, because without advocates pushing for harsher restrictions on certain chemicals, complacency sets in.
McConnell and Messmer have put in a bill, for example, to further restrict allowable arsenic levels in the state’s water supply. Arsenic, said Messmer, has been connected to cancers of the bladder and liver and other health concerns, and other states have higher standards than New Hamp shire due to the health concerns. But when the state house questioned the Department of Environmental Services about why they haven’t put those same restrictions in the state, the answer wasn’t satisfactory, said Messmer.
“They said, ‘Well, we haven’t been mandated to,’” she said.
Marge Shepardson spoke about the need for statewide investment in renewables and more efficient energy systems, but said that the statehouse wasn’t always accepting of those measures.
“It’s a hard won battle right now,” she said.
One example, she said, are bills currently in the state house dealing with a commission to study electric car charging station infrastructure in the state. Gov. Chris Sununu has been on record as opposing the bill, on the side of letting the free market decide the need for electric charging statins, but Shepardson said that could put the state behind the ball.
“Other states around us are being much more aggressive,” said Shepardson. “Tourists who have an electric vehicle might not come to New Hampshire if there’s nowhere to charge their vehicle. We need to have a more aggressive policy for renewables.”
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.