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HB 1389 · 2026 · House · Judiciary Committee

PFAS contamination facility liability

AI-generated

relative to PFAS facility liability.

Establishes liability for facilities responsible for perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) contamination of groundwater exceeding federal quality standards.AI-generated

Status

Committee recommended Inexpedient to Legislate; died at adjournment · March 4, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill provides for perfluoroalkyls (PFAS) facility liability for contaminations of groundwater quality standards according to federal regulations.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced.

“Any person who owns or operates a PFAS facility where a release of PFAS at or from such PFAS facility has resulted in total combined concentrations in groundwater or surface water of 500 parts per trillion or greater of PFAS compounds for which ambient groundwater quality standards have been established pursuant to RSA 485-C, or who owned or operated a PFAS facility at the time of such a release, shall be subject to the provisions of federal regulations in 40 CFR 265.111 and 265.114.”
RSA 147-B:10, VIII

The liability trigger, pinned to a number: 500 parts per trillion of PFAS compounds with established groundwater standards.AI-generated

“All tanks, piping, containers, manufacturing equipment, waste or wastewater treatment infrastructure, and air pollution control devices used to handle, convey, or otherwise manage materials or wastes containing PFAS;”
RSA 147-B:10, VIII(a)

What a closure would have to cover — the equipment, not just the site.AI-generated

“The interior and exterior surfaces of PFAS facility buildings and structures where materials or wastes containing PFAS are or have been used, stored, treated or otherwise managed. Nothing in this paragraph shall be interpreted to limit the applicability of RSA 147-B:10 or RSA 147-B:10-a to releases of PFAS otherwise subject to such sections.”
RSA 147-B:10, VIII(b)

Including the buildings themselves, where PFAS residue persists on surfaces.AI-generated

““PFAS” means all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.”
RSA 147-B:2, VIII-j

The definition the bill would have adopted: the whole class, not a list of named compounds.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Nancy MurphyDPrime
  • Rep. David MeuseDDeputy Ranking Member· Criminal Justice and Public Safety
  • Rep. Nicholas GermanaDDeputy Democratic Floor Leader
  • Rep. Ron DunnRVice Chair· Resources, Recreation and Development
  • Rep. Tanya DonnellyRAssistant Majority Whip
  • Rep. Karen EbelDDemocratic Leader Pro Tempore
  • Sen. Denise RicciardiRDeputy Majority Leader

Also: Rep. Chris MunsD, Rep. Richard LascellesR, Rep. Rosemarie RungD, Rep. Wendy ThomasD, Sen. David WattersD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD

Public testimony

139 signed in online · 16 wrote testimony

93% support7% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“The people contaminating our water with PFAS need to take responsibility for it and do the right thing.”
— Bonnie Hill, South Suttonsupports
“PFAS pollution is a hidden environmental hazard that needs remediation. This bill will help protect parms and thus help prevent further forever chemical pollution,”
— bruce cote, Strathamsupports
“HB1389 establishes liability for facilities that handle perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cases of groundwater contamination.…”
— Richard DeMark, Meredithsupports
“A law against PFAS after the damage has been done will change nothing. This toothless bill threatens the perpetrator shall be subject to federal law ... they are already without this bill! The bill is entirely POLITICAL POSTURING and changes nothing.”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuaopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 27, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate9–8
    Overall
    53% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 20, 2026Public hearingHouse Judiciary5:51:50–5:59:487m 58slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing; Executive Session

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Judiciary HJ 1 P. 18
  2. Feb 20, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/20/2026 02:00 pm GP 231
  3. Feb 20, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/20/2026 02:00 pm GP 231
  4. Feb 27, 2026HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 02/27/2026 (Vote 9-8; RC) HC 10 P. 100
  5. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0855h

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • PFAS explainedPrimary source

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — What the compounds are, where they come from, and how federal standards are set.AI-generated

  • NHDES PFAS response websiteState agency

    NH Department of Environmental Services — New Hampshire's own PFAS site: the ambient groundwater standards the bill's 500 ppt trigger sits against, and where contamination has been found.AI-generated

  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and your healthHealth agency

    ATSDR (CDC) — What is known and not known about exposure and health effects.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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