reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:1 - Statement of Purpose.

    485-C:1 Statement of Purpose. –||I. The purpose of this chapter is to protect the natural quality of the groundwater resource of the state by assisting local groundwater protection efforts and by establishing procedures and standards for the classification and remediation of groundwater and state permitting of large groundwater withdrawals. The legislature recognizes the fundamental importance of the groundwater resource and the role of local planning and management in groundwater protection, and intends through this legislation to provide a framework for local groundwater protection. The legislature also intends to provide for consistent, protective management and remediation of groundwater affected by regulated contaminants. The natural quality of the groundwater resource shall be preserved and protected in order that groundwater may be used for drinking water supply. Ambient groundwater quality standards shall meet drinking water standards, and the classification of groundwater shall provide opportunity for protecting groundwater of high value as a drinking water supply. The legislature recognizes that groundwater constitutes an integral part of the hydrologic cycle and that the protection of groundwater quality is necessary to preserve the integrity of surface water.||II. The legislature finds that the most effective means of preserving the existing high quality of groundwater is by identification and careful management of operations or activities which may cause contamination of groundwater if not properly conducted. Because groundwater is primarily a local resource, cities and towns should have the first opportunity to institute programs for groundwater protection within the scope of this chapter. Suppliers of water should also have this opportunity because of their vital interest in preserving the quality of their groundwater supply. The state, which has general responsibility for groundwater management in the public trust and interest, should develop groundwater protection programs within the scope of this chapter when such programs are not developed by a local entity.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1996, 266:1. 2010, 348:1, eff. Sept. 18, 2010.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:3 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:3 - Duties of the Department.

    485-C:3 Duties of the Department. –||The department shall:||I. Maintain a statewide map identifying the classes of groundwater.||II. Assist local and regional entities in the development and administration of local wellhead protection programs, including delineation of wellhead protection areas and the inventory and management of activities which have a potential effect on groundwater quality.||III. [Repealed.]||IV. Maintain an inventory of wells serving public water supply systems, and establish a priority system for delineation of wellhead protection areas and reclassification of these areas to class GAA.||V. Provide for the investigation, management, and remediation of contaminated groundwater.||VI. Manage and preserve the state's groundwater on behalf of the citizens of the state, recognizing that any private use of groundwater and other public waters shall be reasonable in light of the protected interests of the general public in the use and enjoyment of groundwater and other public waters by ensuring that no unmitigated adverse impact, as defined in this chapter, occurs.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1996, 228:106; 266:2. 2003, 319:9. 2004, 257:44. 2006, 322:2. 2011, 224:117, II, eff. July 1, 2011.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:4 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:4 - Rulemaking.

    485-C:4 Rulemaking. –||The commissioner shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to:||I. Criteria and procedures for delineating classes of groundwater.||II. Criteria and procedures for reclassifying groundwater under RSA 485-C:9, II.||III. Ambient groundwater quality standards as provided under RSA 485-C:6.||IV. Criteria and procedures for conducting and maintaining inventories of potential contamination sources and managing potential contamination sources under RSA 485-C:8.||V. Criteria and procedures for the issuance of groundwater release detection permits as provided under RSA 485-C:13.||VI. Fees for groundwater release detection permits required under RSA 485-C:13.||VII. Best management practices as provided under RSA 485-C:11, except those practices for agricultural operations and pesticide use, and rulemaking relative to such practices, shall be developed, administered and enforced by the New Hampshire department of agriculture, markets, and food.||VIII. Criteria and procedures for the investigation, management, and remediation of contaminated groundwater, including the creation of regulated zones of contaminated groundwater and the issuance of permits or similar procedures for the remediation of such zones.||IX. Criteria and procedures for the notification of owners of affected properties and for the recordation of permits governing groundwater management zones designated by the department in the registry of deeds for affected properties.||X. Criteria and procedures for the imposition of groundwater use restrictions relative to groundwater management zones.||XI. Criteria and procedures for accepting adopted municipal land use controls in lieu of recordation requirements.||XII. All new groundwater withdrawals of 57,600 gallons or more in any 24-hour period. Such rules shall include:||(a) Criteria and procedures for requiring persons to identify and address impacts of withdrawals on surface waters, subsurface waters, water-related natural resources, and public, private, residential, and farm wells within the potential impact area of the proposed withdrawal as defined in RSA 485-C:21, V-e.||(b) Requirements relative to conservation management plans which demonstrate the need for the proposed withdrawals, to be submitted by the persons seeking approval for a withdrawal.||(c) Procedures by which the department may deny permission for withdrawals or order the applicant to provide a response policy, as provided by department rules, for provision of alternative water supply at no initial capital cost to persons whose wells are adversely affected by the proposed withdrawal or order reduced withdrawals if hydrogeologic data indicate that water-related resources are being adversely affected by the withdrawals.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1995, 130:4. 1996, 228:110; 266:12. 1998, 124:2. 2006, 322:3, eff. Aug. 21, 2006.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:5 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:5 - Classes of Groundwater.

    485-C:5 Classes of Groundwater. –||I. All groundwater shall be classified for the purpose of prescribing protections and management practices. These classifications do not necessarily reflect existing water quality. For purposes of classification, all groundwater shall be assigned to one of 4 classes as follows:||(a) Class GAA groundwater shall be the most protected class. Groundwater in this class is within the wellhead protection area for wells which presently are used or well sites which have been identified for future use as drinking water supply for public water systems. An inventory of potential contamination sources in the wellhead protection area shall be conducted, and a management program shall be implemented as provided under RSA 485-C:8.||(b) Class GA1 shall be assigned to groundwater in a defined zone of high value for present or future drinking water supply. An inventory of potential contamination sources in the contributing area of this class shall be conducted, and a management program shall be implemented as provided under RSA 485-C:8.||(c) Class GA2 shall be assigned to groundwater within aquifers identified as highly productive for potential use as a public water supply by the U.S. Geological Survey regional groundwater studies, or other regional studies. Zones of stratified drift with a saturated thickness greater than 20 feet, and a transmissivity greater than 1,000 feet squared per day shall be designated as class GA2. Zones of bedrock with average well yields greater than 50 gallons per minute shall also be designated as class GA2.||(d) Class GB shall be assigned to all groundwater not assigned to a higher class.||II. The land area vertically above shall be assigned to the highest class of groundwater beneath it, for purposes of managing potential contamination sources.|||Source. 1991, 344:1, eff. June 28, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:6-a (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:6-a - Groundwater Management Zones.

    485-C:6-a Groundwater Management Zones. –||The department may designate groundwater management zones as a component of the remediation of contaminated groundwater. The department shall issue permits or other similar controls for such zones that establish a time period and process for the remediation of the groundwater.|||Source. 1996, 266:13, eff. Aug. 9, 1996.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:6-b (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:6-b - Recordation of Groundwater Management Zone Permits.

    485-C:6-b Recordation of Groundwater Management Zone Permits. –||The department shall require a person to whom a groundwater management zone permit is issued to record notice of the existence of the groundwater management zone in a form approved by the department. Such notice shall be recorded in the registry of deeds in the chain of title for each property included in whole or part within the groundwater management zone. If the department approves the use of municipal land use controls as an alternative form of notice, such recordation shall not be required.|||Source. 1996, 266:13, eff. Aug. 9, 1996.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:8 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:8 - Inventory and Management.

    485-C:8 Inventory and Management. –||I. Inventory and management under this section shall be performed in GAA or GA1 contributing areas by the department or, by the local entity requesting reclassification under RSA 485-C:9, II(a) or III(a).||II. The inventory of potential contamination sources required in contributing areas designated as class GAA or GA1 shall include the site address, tax map and lot number, property owner name and address, and operator name and address for all potential contamination sources within the contributing area of a designated class. The inventory shall include estimates of the type and quantities of regulated substances used in the activity or generated as waste materials. The inventory shall be based on physical site inspections of the potential contamination sources within the designated class area.||III. Potential contamination sources in class GAA and GA1 contributing areas shall be managed by:||(a) Updating the inventory at intervals not to exceed 3 years.||(b) Notifying the owner of each potential contamination source by letter at intervals not to exceed 3 years that the activity is being conducted within a contributing area of a class of groundwater designated for high protection because of its value for drinking water supply. The notice shall state that such activities shall be subject to best management practices, and shall provide information concerning where copies of applicable best management practices may be obtained.||(c) Performing an inspection at least once every 3 years of all potential contamination sources located within the contributing area to ascertain compliance with best management practices provided, however, that the following shall not be subject to inspection under this chapter:||(1) Pesticides which are regulated under RSA 430:28-48; and||(2) Agricultural operations which are operated in compliance with all applicable chapters of RSA title XL and best management practices developed, administered and enforced by the New Hampshire department of agriculture, markets, and food.||(d) Enforcing rules for best management practices adopted under RSA 485-C:11.||IV. The authority granted to local entities and other agencies under this chapter shall not be interpreted to extend to RSA 430:28-48.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1995, 130:4. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:10 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:10 - Degraded Groundwater.

    485-C:10 Degraded Groundwater. –||I. Groundwater which has been degraded below ambient groundwater quality standards by past operations, discharges, or other human activities shall not be excluded from the designated class.||II. Groundwater which does not meet ambient groundwater quality standards due entirely to natural causes shall not be excluded from the designated class.|||Source. 1991, 344:1, eff. June 28, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:11 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:11 - Best Management Practices.

    485-C:11 Best Management Practices. –||I. The department shall develop best management practices for the activities identified in RSA 485-C:7 as potential contamination sources, except those activities under RSA 485-C:7, II(j) which shall be subject to best management practices and the applicable provisions of RSA title XL, developed, administered and enforced by the New Hampshire department of agriculture, markets, and food.||II. Best management practices shall strike a reasonable balance between environmental, energy, and economic impacts. These best management practices shall apply to all potential contamination source activities in the state. In developing best management practices for an activity or type of activity over which another state agency has regulatory jurisdiction, the department shall consult with that agency, and may, through a memorandum of agreement, delegate to that agency the administration of best management practices. Best management practices shall not be inconsistent with applicable state or federal rules and regulations concerning such activities or with the intent of this chapter.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1995, 130:4. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:12 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:12 - Prohibited Uses.

    485-C:12 Prohibited Uses. –||Within any wellhead protection area classified as GAA, the following new uses are prohibited:||I. The siting or operation of a hazardous waste disposal facility as defined under RSA 147-A.||II. The siting or operation of a solid waste landfill.||III. The outdoor storage of road salt or other deicing chemicals in bulk.||IV. The siting or operation of a junk or salvage yard.||V. The siting or operation of a snow dump.||VI. The siting or operation of a wastewater or septage lagoon.|||Source. 1991, 344:1, eff. June 28, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:13 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:13 - Groundwater Release Detection Permit.

    485-C:13 Groundwater Release Detection Permit. –||I. The purpose of a groundwater release detection permit shall be to monitor groundwater for early detection of any impact to groundwater quality.||II. A groundwater release detection permit shall be required for the following activities in all classes of groundwater:||(a) The siting or operation of a hazardous waste disposal facility as defined under RSA 147-A.||(b) The siting or operation of a lined solid waste landfill.||(c) The siting or operation of a lined wastewater lagoon.||(d) The siting or operation of a facility for processing soils contaminated with petroleum products.||III. A groundwater release detection permit shall be required for the following additional activities in a class GAA wellhead protection area:||(a) The siting or operation of a new solid waste composting or solid waste resource recovery facility.||(b) The operation of an existing activity which is listed in RSA 485-C:12 as a prohibited new use, unless such activity is required to obtain a groundwater discharge permit under RSA 485-A:13.||IV. The groundwater release detection permit:||(a) Shall require compliance with all applicable state and local laws and regulations;||(b) Shall include periodic monitoring of on-site groundwater quality to be performed by the permittee with reports to the department;||(c) May contain such other conditions as are reasonable and consistent with the purpose of this chapter; and||(d) Shall be issued for a fixed term of 5 years.||V. Applications for groundwater release detection permits shall be on forms provided by the department and shall contain such information as the department shall require by rule.||VI. Application for a groundwater release detection permit for an existing facility or activity shall be made within 6 months of the date of notification of reclassification to GAA, or when a permit is required in any class, within 18 months of June 28, 1991. No person shall be deemed in violation of this chapter if such person shall have made application for a groundwater release detection permit for an existing facility or activity which is made within the required period, and the department has failed to grant or deny such permit.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:14 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:14 - Notice to Municipality.

    485-C:14 Notice to Municipality. –||Upon submission to the department of an application for a permit necessary for an activity in a contributing area classified as GA1 or GAA, which is a potential contamination source under RSA 485-C:7, the state shall notify the local governing body, as defined in RSA 672:6, as well as the local entity, if known, of the filing of the application and shall suspend action on the application for 30 days to allow time for receipt of recommendations from the local entity. For any application required by law to be acted upon within a certain prescribed time, the time shall be extended automatically by 30 days to allow for comment. The department shall proceed to act upon the application at the end of 30 days, even if no comments have been received. If the local entity submits recommendations to the department on the application, the department shall make written findings explaining any deviation from such recommendations. This section shall not apply to applications to construct domestic septic systems, provided that the system has an aggregate capacity of less than 20,000 gallons per day on one lot.|||Source. 1991, 344:1, eff. June 28, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:14-a (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:14-a - Notification of Large Groundwater Withdrawal Required.

    485-C:14-a Notification of Large Groundwater Withdrawal Required. –||Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, before any person may withdraw 57,600 gallons or more of water in any 24-hour period from a well, such person shall provide written notice to the governing body of the municipality in which the well is located and to the governing bodies of each municipality and each supplier of water within the potential impact area of the proposed withdrawal as defined in RSA 485-C:21, V-e. This section shall apply only to wells established after the effective date of this section.|||Source. 1998, 124:3. 2006, 322:4, eff. Aug. 21, 2006.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:14-b (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:14-b - Notification of Groundwater Contamination Required.

    485-C:14-b Notification of Groundwater Contamination Required. –||I. Upon the discovery of groundwater contamination where one or more regulated chemical or radiological contaminants exceeds ambient groundwater quality standards, the commissioner shall provide notification of the presence of the contamination to the following:||(a) The owners of all property which contains a water supply well and is within 500 horizontal feet of the well where the contamination is discovered.||(b) Public water suppliers, when the groundwater contamination falls within the wellhead protection area of the public water supply.||(c) The health officer of any municipality which contains property being notified.||II. Notification shall be made in writing within 45 days after the department receives analytical data indicating the presence of the contamination. Each property owner or public water supplier shall be notified at least once upon the discovery of contamination in an area. The commissioner shall provide the notification and shall provide additional notification as the extent of contamination at a site is further determined and remediation occurs.|||Source. 2004, 101:1, eff. May 17, 2004.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-C:15 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-C - Groundwater Protection Act|Section 485-C:15 - Investigation and Inspection.

    485-C:15 Investigation and Inspection. –||The department, any authorized representative, any authorized representative of any agency operating under a memorandum of agreement with the department, or any town or city health officer may enter any land or establishment for the purpose of administering the provisions of this chapter, and shall at reasonable times have access to any facility subject to this chapter.|||Source. 1991, 344:1. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.|