NH Resources

  A number of wood biomass supporters including the son of a former governor recently appeared before a Sun editorial board with reasons why Senate Bill 365 should be overridden and continuing this North Country industry.       Unfortunately, they sung like a choir performing before the wrong audience.     Sen. Jeb Bradley, Lobbyist Jasen Stock, Tom Thompson and local forester Karla Allen all made compelling arguments for wood biomass energy production but they should have been in southern New Hampshire where the real votes are that will decide the fate of this industry on September 13th.     "If landowners who for years have been willing to share with the public and the state are going to shut access to their land down." said Tom Thompson son of the former governor best known for his ultra-conservative policies on state spending and his infamous quote, "Ax the tax!" New Hampshire was different then but Thompson is right if this override...

 The candidates for the next election in New Hampshire have all filed.   As in all state elections there is a lot of political speculation as to what could happen. I've heard for some time that the democratic party is poised to make big election wins because of President Donald Trump, and that the NH Republican Party is not only disorganized but is experiencing real issues in fundraising for it's slate of candidates.     The history of elections in the granite state is interesting. Many decisive political races have been fought and won not by political parties themselves, but by the role of undecided independents that swing a race either to the left or to the right. Question Whether There Will Be A Tsunami In New Hampshire.    I think this will happen in this next election and there will even be a few surprises.     The GOP will likely construct a breakwater against this reported blue wave that is coming and attempt to hold on to their...

  Last year Rep. Annie Kuster received a golden spike award for her work for Amtrak passenger rail. It's too bad she can't make the same effort and do the same thing in her own district.   Gets Award. Too Bad She Cant Do This In Her Own District.   Along with Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Rep. Kuster advanced security legislation that will allow Amtrak to cross over the border from Vermont into Canada and later Montreal.   "I'm honored to receive the golden spike award and look forward to continue working to promote rail service in New Hampshire and throughout the country." Kuster said.   New Hampshire Owns Over 170 Miles Of Rail Line. Rep. Annie Kuster is doing nothing.   The problem with this is that Rep. Kuster doesn't do this. She talks about creating local jobs across her congressional district but hasn't gotten behind a single capital initiative to improve rail and intermodal capability on the 170 miles of active rail line in New ...

  The Business Finance Authority is set to vote in March on the Balsam's Bailout. This is a bad deal for New Hampshire.   The Balsam's Bailout. "There will have to be public hearings if they submit an application." said James Key-Wallace of the BFA in response to my concerns that this proposed $28 million dollar state guarantee involves too much risk and long-term consequences to the state treasury if it fails.     So where were the public hearings?     It will be interesting if this Balsam's bailout impacts the state owned Cannon mountain along with the rest of the state's ski industry. This will be bad for skiing and bad for New Hampshire.

  Senator Maggie Hassan recently came to the aid of Amtrak though not in New Hampshire, but in Vermont. What could be wrong here...... Senator Maggie Hassan Helps Amtrak In Vermont.    "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Hassan says as a reason to continue running a mostly empty Amtrak Vermonter into White River Junction. This is an example of what is wrong with Amtrak and the surreal Washington politics that surround this neolithic and subsidized railroad.   Sen. Hassan would rather spend millions of dollars in state subsidy instead of considering private sector alternatives like Greyhound bus lines which has newer equipment, lower ticket prices and directly services this same area at least four times a day.   It's interesting that Sen. Hassan even had the time to assist Amtrak in Vermont. I've never seen her in the North Country, never mind explaining what exactly Amtrak even does for New Hampshire, so critical or not.   I...

Spent part of the day watching horse racing from Presque Isle Downs which is in the western part of New York. The whole scene made me think of Rockingham Park in New Hampshire and how the clock really is ticking down.... The historic Rockingham Park is closing for good at the end of August. And what could have been.... like Presque Isle Downs in New York. Synthetic Track Surface for one. I'm watching it now on simulcast and is the racing ever fast. The horses, at least to me, seem to corner much tighter to the rail but unlike the dirt surface there doesn't seem to be a large margin of 'comeback' on the final stretch. Like the horse in dead last position coming in to win the race. Synthetic tracks= early speed and maintaining the lead. Too bad the politicians in New Hampshire couldn't have done what they did in New York and saved the historic Rockingham Park. It's business as usual in Concord.

Maine Gov. LePage has made it a priority to expand the International Marine Terminal with is located on commercial street in Portland. This will be a very good capital investment and create many quality jobs and needed tax base. For example, construction has now started to expand rail access into the terminal areas where containers can be easily loaded from ship to railcars or trucks for shipment across the Northeast. Maine sees the future. New Hampshire does not. New Hampshire has a state port authority based in Portsmouth. Though it's terminal is significantly smaller than what exists in Portland nothing is being done. No expansion plans, no capital plans and no strategy to create needed jobs for New Hampshire. And did I say this lack of action is all at NH taxpayer expense.