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SB 227 · 2025 · Senate · Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Landfill site setback requirements

AI-generated

relative to site setbacks for landfills.

Requires specified tests and minimum setback distances before the department of environmental services may issue a permit for a new landfill.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · November 3, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕Senate
  3. House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill requires certain tests and setbacks before the department of environmental services grants a landfill permit in New Hampshire.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“The department shall establish a site-specific setback distance for any proposed new landfill from any perennial river, lake, or coastal water of New Hampshire, as defined in RSA 483-B:4, XVI.”
Section 2
“The setback distance shall be sufficient to prevent any contaminated groundwater at any part of the landfill footprint or leachate storage or piping infrastructure from reaching any perennial river, lake, or coastal water of New Hampshire within 5 years.”
Section 2
“The applicant shall hire an independent hydrogeologist at the applicant's expense, to estimate, based upon adequate and representative on-site field testing of both the landfill footprint and leachate storage or piping infrastructure, the maximum seepage velocity of groundwater in both surficial geological deposits and in bedrock.”
Section 2
“The maximum seepage velocity shall be the highest rate measured for any test site in the disposal area.”
Section 2

Official record

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. David RochefortRPrimeChair· Health and Human Services
  • Rep. Seth KingRClerk· Environment and Agriculture

Also: Sen. Donovan FentonD, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR, Rep. Jonah WheelerD

Public testimony

No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 6, 2025SenateCommittee report: Rereferred to Committee4–1
    Overall
    80% yea
  • Mar 6, 2025SenateRoll callSen. Avard Moved Laid on TableAdopted15–9How they voted
    Overall
    63% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    13–381% yea
    Democrats
    2–625% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 6, 2025Floor debateSenate floor4:55:51–5:03:037m 12slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Rereferred to Committee; SB 227 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; Sen. Avard Moved Laid on Table — adopted, roll call 15-9

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 3
  2. Feb 18, 2025SenHearing: 02/18/2025, Room 103, SH, 10:20 am; SC 10
  3. Mar 6, 2025Sen: Rereferred to Committee, 03/06/2025, Vote 4-1, CC SC 11
  4. Mar 6, 2025SenSB 227 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
  5. Mar 6, 2025SenSen. Avard Moved Laid on Table, RC 15Y-9N, MA; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
  6. Mar 6, 2025SenPending Motion Rerefer to Committee; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
  7. Oct 31, 2025SenInexpedient to Legislate, Senate Rule 3-23, 10/31/2025; SJ 1

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

  • Introducedversion

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.