Bill Text: NH HJR1 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Supporting efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-14 - Lay on Table (Rep. Backus): Motion Adopted DV 310-10 03/14/2019 House Journal 9 P. 37 [HJR1 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HJR1-Introduced.html
HJR 1 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0402
06/03
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1
A RESOLUTION supporting efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast.
SPONSORS: Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Oxenham, Sull. 1; Rep. Somssich, Rock. 27; Rep. Towne, Straf. 4; Rep. Janvrin, Rock. 37; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Morgan, Dist 23
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
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ANALYSIS
This joint resolution urges the governor to request that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management form a task force to plan for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine.
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19-0402
06/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
A RESOLUTION supporting efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
Whereas, the state of New Hampshire has committed to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050, but has yet to develop a plan to achieve that goal, and needs to work toward a sustainable energy system to ensure protection of the health of its people, environment, and economy before this date; and
Whereas, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) resolved in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 to 45 percent below 1990 emissions by 2030; and
Whereas, the Department of Energy has determined that the Gulf of Maine has a total potential wind power capacity in excess of 200,000 megawatts within 50 miles of the coasts of New Hampshire, Maine, and northeast Massachusetts, and that utilizing just a small percentage of this potential, combined with other renewable resources, could provide most of the future power needs of our region; and
Whereas, operation of floating wind farms 10 to 50 miles off our coast is expected to have much less impact on our environment and public health relative to existing conventional power sources, as well as create less aesthetic concern than terrestrial wind farms; and
Whereas, development and operation of offshore wind farms have the potential to create large numbers of jobs and other economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor and other New Hampshire coastal communities; and
Whereas, a bipartisan New Hampshire legislative study committee report in 2015 concluded that "The wind resource off of New Hampshire’s coast has the potential to generate significant amounts of electricity," and that "offshore wind development has the potential to generate significant economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor . . ," recommending that the governor request formation of an intergovernmental task force and stakeholder process as the first step in planning for regional offshore wind development; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
That the New Hampshire general court supports efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast and urges Governor Sununu to make a formal request to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to form a task force and stakeholder process to plan for regional offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine; and
That the director of the office of strategic initiatives, or designee, be the lead for the state of New Hampshire in working with BOEM and assembling a group of stakeholders to participate in the task force.
