NH Resources

Two days after the state primary will be a day of decision for New Hampshire.   The September 13th veto override day in Concord will determine if wood biomass energy production has a future in the Granite State. This vote could go either way.   If the political analysts and State house watchers are to be believed there are now about 107 swing votes in the 400 member house. Swing votes are undecided votes that are frequently characterized by horse trading which isn't a good thing especially with the permanent economic consequence and job losses to the North Country if this override fails.   In recent days the wood biomass industry has stepped it's presence with rallies at the State house plaza and the southern tier which is where I think these swing votes are all from.   There has to be a 3/5ths vote majority to override Gov. Chris Sununu. This vote will be close like razor thin close. It will be a history defining day for New Hampshire.  

  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...

 Apathy kills things faster than the politicians in Concord.   And a killing time is coming. The fate of the New Hampshire biomass industry will be decided on September 13th which is veto override day at the Statehouse.   Some things will happen before then. New Hampshire has two advocacy groups dedicated to forestry and biomass energy production. The New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association and the NH Wood Harvesting Council both have a long-term lobbying presence in Concord. But neither are doing enough statewide outreach especially as $100 million dollars, good jobs and an entire way of life that sits in the crosshairs. Apathy Kills Things. Quickly.   If the legislature does not override the veto of Gov. Chris Sununu of Senate Bill 365 means the closure of six biomass energy plants, mass layoffs and some towns will lose as much as 27% of their total property taxbase. Bethlehem and Tamworth as examples.   The economic consequences for New Hampsh...

September 13th will be a defining day in the history of New Hampshire.     This is veto override day in Concord. The house and senate will vote yea or nay for pieces of legislation that Gov. Chris Sununu has vetoed in this last legislative session.     One of these vetoed bills is Senate Bill 365, the wood biomass bill which will decide the course of history for the Granite State. The question that gets answered on this early fall day is whether New Hampshire will continue to have a working and sustainable forest industry with millions of dollars in local tax base and good paying jobs or not. September 13th will be a historical direction for New Hampshire.     Senate Bill 365 is about the North Country. Over 1/3 of the state is forested, most of it north of Concord. This veto override will require a 3/5 yea majority which is 250 votes in the 400 member house and 16 votes in the 24 member senate.     This 3/5ths is a real problem. A vas...

Governor Chris Sununu recently made a political campaign swing up north to Conway.   Of course he was asked about the wood biomass industry and his veto of legislation that now decimates this North Country industry and lots of good jobs.   "To ask the governor to impose a quarter billion in tax, plus an additional subsidy, I'm not going to do that." Sununu said. Similar to his previous statements about subsidies the governor doesn't define these numbers like how the quarter billion is calculated.       "It's unfortunate about the jobs." the governor also said. It is unfortunate about the jobs and the loss of local tax base. It's unfortunate that New Hampshire can't have policymakers in Concord that can support well established state history with a realistic or even explained financial model or at least come up with a compromise. None of this was done.   Gov. Sununu is campaigning for a second term. I don't see anything stopping ...

 Governor Chris Sununu vetoed Senate Bill 365 the wood biomass mill. Now a portion of the local North Country economy is almost on the skids.   "Senate Bill 365 creates another immense subsidy for New Hampshire's six biomass plants. It will harm our most vulnerable ratepayers and job creators to benefit a select few." Sununu said.   The statistically popular governor didn't say how these immense subsidies are created, if they even exist at all. The governor also didn't define what harm there would be to ratepayers and who these select few are. Gov. Sununu Has Delivered A Decisive Blow To Northern New Hampshire.   If there were any illusions that Gov. Sununu supports the North Country and it's economy his veto of Senate Bill 365 answers some questions of their very own.

Governor Chris Sununu recently made a political campaign like swing up north to Conway.     Of course he was asked about the wood biomass industry and his veto of legislation that now decimates this North Country industry and lots of good jobs.    "To ask the governor to impose a quarter billion in tax, plus an additional subsidy, I'm not going to do that." Sununu said. Similar to his previous statements about subsidies the governor doesn't define these numbers like how the quarter billion is calculated.    "It's unfortunate about the jobs." the governor also said. It is unfortunate about the jobs and the loss of local tax base. It's unfortunate that New Hampshire can't have policymakers in Concord that can support well established state history with a realistic or even explained financial model or at least come up with a compromise. None of this was done.   There Isn't Much Opposition To Gov. Sununu  Gov. Sununu is campaignin...

To The Editor:   New Hampshire is unique in that it has no Lt. Governor, instead it has a five member Executive Council. Much of what the governor does is with the advise and consent of the Executive Council. It is said that when the King of England was establishing the New Hampshire colony sometime near 1741 the Executive Council was created to weaken the powers of the appointed governor so as to control the collection of shilling and the taking of high-quality timber for the British navy. The governor is now elected but some things haven't changed.   Governor Chris Sununu recently vetoed Senate Bill 365, the wood biomass bill that will cause resulting job loss and economic conditions all across the North Country. The governor cited: "immense subsidies" for his veto but offered no insight as to what this means. It would be interesting to learn if these immense subsidies, if they even exist, are connected to investment banks and hedge funds that are based in En...