If you are concerned about the environment and about private property rights, you may want to make your concerns and suggestions known after you read this. We’ll tell you how but there isn’t much time.
Even if you are not a shorefront property owner, these proposed rules could affect your property rights or business activities. Government activities have an unfortunate history of expanding over time, well beyond their original scope. If you decide not to voice your concerns now because you are not currently affected, you may discover too late that you have been included.
On Friday, November 14, 2008 there was a Public Hearing on proposed changes to the rules used to implement RSA 483-B, more commonly known as “The Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act” (CSPA), for the State of New Hampshire. This Public Hearing was provided, as legally required, by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) at their building in Concord. The Hearing was scheduled to run from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM in order to accept written and oral public comment on the proposed changes.
The videos of this meeting are no longer available, but you may find more information on this website:
This is part of our effort to inform you of activities at the state level which will affect you and this town. For background information we suggest you first visit the DES website at www.des.nh.gov and begin with the Shoreland Protection Program, rulemaking and a review of the CSPA (RSA 483-B) itself. For help locating the CSPA information or comments on their website, you can phone them at 271-3503.
The November 14, 2008 Public Hearing began with a brief review of the types of rules changes proposed by the DES. The oral public comments followed this, with a dozen people speaking. Individuals and groups with a variety of backgrounds including utilities, landscaping, tree farming and property owners expressed many specific concerns. They took time from their own busy schedules to be there, some traveling a considerable distance and at their own expense, and all are to be commended and thanked for making this effort.
If you would like to participate, you need to know that the deadline for acceptance of written public comments is Monday, November 24 at 4:00 PM. You also should keep in mind that the DES mission is to protect the environment and the public’s health by limiting emissions of pollutants. You should consider whether their proposals properly and effectively address their goals.
You should address your written comments to:
DES Wetlands Bureau
29 Hazen Drive
PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
Attention: The Shoreland Program
Did you know that this Public Hearing was taking place? Were you aware of any informational forums being held on it? Did your own Town government make you aware of this activity? If not, ask why.
Could you have taken the time to attend a Public Hearing held on a week day afternoon? If you feel disenfranchised because you could not have, let your local and state officials know this and request a different time.
Do you understand what the revised CSPA requires? Was the DES website easy to understand. If not, let them know you expect greater transparency in government activities and access for citizens to be heard.
Did you know that New Hampshire’s water quality was already rated number one in the nation and it has declined since legislation was enacted? Why did this happen? Was it an unintended consequence of faulty legislation?
How do you feel about the concerns over a loss of private property rights through restrictive rules and trespassing? Were you even aware that this was happening? Let your elected officials know you are concerned over such activities.
We know there are many articulate citizens out there who simply need information on what is going on and will respond with positive solutions. We will continue to keep you informed and look forward to your response.
Working together, we can keep New Hampshire a great place to live in.