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

    485-F:1 Purpose Statement. –||The general court recognizes that the widespread and persistent contamination of the state's drinking water and groundwater by MTBE requires a comprehensive strategy designed to ensure the continued availability of safe drinking water for all New Hampshire citizens. Therefore, to the extent practicable and consistent with the provisions of this chapter, existing groundwater resources shall be preserved and protected and alternative sources of drinking water shall be made available. In meeting these goals, the general court recognizes the connection between groundwater and surface water, the magnitude of the problem that must be resolved, the number of alternatives that may best provide safe drinking water including, but not limited to, on-site treatment and the expansion of drinking water infrastructure, and the resulting need for flexibility with respect to implementation of this chapter. The general court hereby declares that the purpose of RSA 485-F is to provide for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the drinking water and groundwater resources of the state.|||Source. 2016, 11:2, eff. Mar. 31, 2016.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-F:2 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-F - Administration of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund|Section 485-F:2 - Definitions.

    485-F:2 Definitions. –||In this chapter:||I. "Department" means the department of environmental services.||II. "Trust fund" means the drinking water and groundwater trust fund established in RSA 6-D:1.|||Source. 2016, 11:2, eff. Mar. 31, 2016.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-F:3 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-F - Administration of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund|Section 485-F:3 - Implementation of Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection.

    485-F:3 Implementation of Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection. –||I. The New Hampshire drinking water and groundwater advisory commission, established in RSA 485-F:4, shall administer the drinking water and groundwater trust fund through the MTBE remediation bureau. Subject to the approval of the fiscal committee of the general court, trust fund proceeds sufficient to fund the department's MTBE remediation bureau and qualifying projects shall be transferred to the department and maintained in a separate, nonlapsing account, continually appropriated to the department for the purpose of paying all costs of this program. The department shall provide administrative support to the drinking water and groundwater advisory commission by performing the following duties, including but not limited to:||(a) Investigating, managing, and remediating contaminated groundwater.||(b) Assisting 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.||(c) Maintaining a statewide map identifying the classes of groundwater.||(d) Measuring levels of contamination statewide and generating maps to show the areas of greatest contamination.||(e) Maintaining an inventory of wells serving public water supply systems, and to the extent practicable other wells, and establishing a priority list for delineation of systems that are currently contaminated with MTBE.||II. The department shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to:||(a) Administering a competitive grant program for drinking water protection projects.||(b) Administering the revolving loan fund.||III. Costs paid from the drinking water and groundwater trust fund for the action described in paragraph I(a) and recovered by the state under RSA 147-B:10, shall be deposited to the trust fund. In addition, upon payment from the trust fund for any costs for which a third party would otherwise be liable, the right to recover payment from such third party shall be assumed by the drinking water and groundwater advisory commission to the extent of payment made from the trust fund. Except as provided in RSA 485-H:6, any money so recovered shall be repaid to the trust fund. No party shall receive multiple compensation for the same injury, and any such compensation shall be repaid to the trust fund.|||Source. 2016, 11:2, eff. Mar. 31, 2016. 2017, 156:208, eff. July 1, 2017. 2018, 258:1, eff. Aug. 11, 2018. 2019, 346:295, eff. July 1, 2019. 2021, 223:10, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-F:5 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-F - Administration of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund|Section 485-F:5 - Repealed by 2017, 138:2, effective November 1, 2018.

    485-F:5 Repealed by 2017, 138:2, effective November 1, 2018. –|
NH Rev Stat § 485-F:7 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-F - Administration of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund|Section 485-F:7 - Deposits to Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund.

    485-F:7 Deposits to Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund. –||Any money received by the state related to the contamination of drinking water or groundwater, other than fees, fines, penalties, oil or hazardous waste cost recovery, or any other money already allocated to a specified fund, shall be deposited into the drinking water and groundwater trust fund. This paragraph shall not be construed to limit any damages otherwise awarded in a related private cause of action.|||Source. 2019, 346:294, eff. July 1, 2019.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-G:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-G - Coastal Marine Natural Resources and Environment Commission|Section 485-G:1 - Commission Established.

    485-G:1 Commission Established. –||There is established a coastal marine natural resources and environment commission.|||Source. 2016, 156:1, eff. July 26, 2016.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-G:2 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-G - Coastal Marine Natural Resources and Environment Commission|Section 485-G:2 - Membership and Compensation.

    485-G:2 Membership and Compensation. –||I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:||(a) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.||(b) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.||(c) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.||(d) The commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources, or designee.||(e) The executive director of fish and game, or designee.||(f) The chair of the advisory committee on marine fisheries, or designee.||(g) Two representatives of the aquaculture industry, appointed by the governor.||(h) One commercial fisherman, appointed by the governor.||(i) One recreational fisherman, appointed by the governor.||(j) The Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper.||(k) One representative of the cooperative extension in fisheries, appointed by the dean of the cooperative extension.||(l) One environmental scientist from the University of New Hampshire, appointed by the president of the University of New Hampshire.||(m) One representative of the New Hampshire Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, appointed by the director of the board of trustees of the New Hampshire chapter.||II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.|||Source. 2016, 156:1, eff. July 26, 2016. 2017, 156:14, I, eff. July 1, 2017.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-G:3 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-G - Coastal Marine Natural Resources and Environment Commission|Section 485-G:3 - Duties.

    485-G:3 Duties. –||The commission shall:||I. Investigate, monitor, and propose prevention and mitigation strategies for emerging environmental threats in coastal and Great Bay waters, including but not limited to warming of waters, ocean acidification, sedimentation, and nutrient loading, which impact fish, shellfish, and the food chain thereof.||II. Identify gaps and recommend improvements in water quality monitoring, including monitoring pH and evaluating its impact on the impaired waters designation of water bodies.||III. Recommend strategies for enhancing capacities for improving water quality.||IV. Examine the Blue Carbon credit program for sea grass promotion and oyster bed restoration.||V. Report annually on November 1 to the chairpersons of the house and senate committees with jurisdiction over issues affecting coastal marine resources and the environment, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor.|||Source. 2016, 156:1, eff. July 26, 2016.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-G:4 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-G - Coastal Marine Natural Resources and Environment Commission|Section 485-G:4 - Chairperson; Quorum.

    485-G:4 Chairperson;  Quorum. –||The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named senate member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.|||Source. 2016, 156:1, eff. July 26, 2016.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:1 - Purpose Statement.

    485-H:1 Purpose Statement. –||Communities across the state have been impacted by perfluorochemical contamination, largely through no fault of their own. Perfluorochemicals are a class of chemicals that are part of a larger group of chemicals called per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The cost of remediating this contamination for many communities would result in dramatically higher water and sewer rates for end users. The existence of these man-made chemicals, some of which are occurring at unhealthy levels in New Hampshire's drinking water, require a strategy to protect, preserve, and enhance the water that New Hampshire citizens and environment rely upon.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:4, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:2 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:2 - Definitions.

    485-H:2 Definitions. –||In this chapter:||I. "Community water system" means "community water system" as defined in RSA 485:1-a.||II. "Department" means the department of environmental services.||III. "Drinking water standard" means the maximum contaminant levels established pursuant to RSA 485:16-e.||IV. "PFAS loan fund" means the PFAS remediation loan fund established in RSA 485-H:10.||V. "Non-transient non-community water system" means "non-transient non-community water system as defined in RSA 485:1-a.||VI. "Wastewater residuals" means septage, sludge, or biosolids.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:5, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:4 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:4 - Implementation of Groundwater, Surface Water and Aquatic Life Protection.

    485-H:4 Implementation of Groundwater, Surface Water and Aquatic Life Protection. –||I. The department shall provide low interest loans and grants to publicly-owned and non-profit wastewater and/or wastewater residual treatment or storage facilities that are required to treat effluent and residuals to achieve applicable PFAS standards prior to discharge or disposal.||II. The department shall provide the loans and grants described in paragraph I if the applicant demonstrates, and the department agrees, that the project is the most cost-effective way to meet applicable PFAS standards and if the project meets the other provisions of this chapter and department rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. The applicant shall provide evidence in the application for funding that there is not a more cost-effective way to meet applicable PFAS standards.||III. The department shall adopt rules, and include conditions in loan and grant documents, to ensure that the applicant has made reasonable efforts to obtain and use funds from any liable or potentially liable third party prior to and after taking a loan from the PFAS loan fund or receiving a grant, and that any money received from a liable or potentially liable third party at a later time is applied to early repayment of the loan from the PFAS loan fund to the extent reasonable. In addition, the department shall adopt rules establishing criteria to ensure that an applicant shall not be eligible for loans or grants for any project or portion of a project to the extent the negligence of the applicant caused the contamination that resulted in the exceedance of an applicable PFAS standard.||IV. If the department forgives any part of a loan or provides a grant related to costs for a project for which a third party might otherwise be liable, the right to recover payment from such third party shall be subrogated to the department to the extent of such forgiveness. Any money recovered by the department from such third party shall be deposited in the PFAS loan fund.||V. Loans may be made for up to the total cost of the project minus any contribution from a liable or potentially liable third party or any other portion deemed ineligible under this chapter and department rules.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:6, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:5 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:5 - Loan Principal Forgiveness Based Upon Need.

    485-H:5 Loan Principal Forgiveness Based Upon Need. –||I. The department shall forgive up to 10 percent of the loan principal to municipalities, community water systems and non-profit, non-transient non-community water systems using the same qualifying standards for forgiveness used in the drinking water state revolving loan program established under RSA 486:14.||II. The department shall forgive up to 10 percent of the loan principal for publicly-owned and non-profit wastewater treatment facilities using the same qualifying standards for forgiveness used in the clean water state revolving loan program established under RSA 486:14.||III. Total loan forgiveness under this section shall not exceed $5 million.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:7, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:6 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:6 - Contingent Reimbursement.

    485-H:6 Contingent Reimbursement. –||I. Following the reimbursement of the department of justice for legal expenses related to relevant litigation; the transfer of funds to the revenue stabilization reserve account pursuant to RSA 7:6-e; the redemption of bonds issued or debt incurred pursuant to RSA 6:13-e, III(a); and reimbursement of the general fund for any debt principal or interest payments made to support bonds issued or debt incurred pursuant to RSA 6:13-e, III(a), any remaining funds from judgments or settlements received by the state resulting from lawsuits against the manufacturers of PFAS shall be deposited into the drinking water and groundwater trust fund established in RSA 6-D:1.||II. In addition to the loan forgiveness described in RSA 485-H:5, the department, upon certification by the state treasurer that funds from judgments or settlements have been received and used to redeem the bonds issued under RSA 6:13-e in full and the general fund has been reimbursed for all interest and principal payments charged against it to support said bond, shall grant partial loan forgiveness to the loan recipients, up to 50 percent of the loan principal.||(a) If insufficient funds are received by the state to cover 50 percent of the principal, the reimbursements shall be prorated. In no instance shall the loan reimbursement exceed 50 percent of the total loan amount, unless it received loan forgiveness under RSA 485-H:5, in which case the combined maximum shall be 60 percent.||(b) In the event a loan recipient receives compensation from a responsible party, the department shall not grant partial loan forgiveness that in combination with any compensation would exceed 100 percent of the total cost of the remediation.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:7 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:7 - Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Exception.

    485-H:7 Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund Exception. –||Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any funds deposited into the drinking water and groundwater trust fund established in RSA 6-D:1 as a result of this chapter may be transferred to the department to be used for funding PFAS remediation projects, including those at wastewater treatment facilities, at the discretion of the drinking water and groundwater trust fund's advisory commission.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:8, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:8 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:8 - Duties of the Department.

    485-H:8 Duties of the Department. –||I. The department shall perform the following duties to the limit of available funding:||(a) Establishing and administrating the PFAS remediation loan and grant program to assist municipalities; community and non-profit, non-transient non-community water systems; and publicly owned and non-profit wastewater treatment facilities with the cost of complying with PFAS drinking water standards or other applicable PFAS standards.||(b) Establishing and administering a loan forgiveness program to assist disadvantaged communities with loan repayment.||(c) Awarding loan funds to projects that meet the provisions of this chapter including the following criteria:||(1) The project is or was necessary to comply with a PFAS drinking water standard or other applicable PFAS standard and the applicant for funding is a municipality, a community water system, or a non-profit, non-transient public water system, or a publicly-owned or non-profit wastewater and/or wastewater residual treatment or storage facility.||(2) The applicant has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the department, that the project is the most cost-effective way to meet PFAS drinking water standards and other applicable PFAS standards.||(d) Awarding reimbursements to projects from the fund in a manner consistent with this chapter.||II. Every year beginning December 1, 2020, the department shall prepare and file a report with the general court evaluating the progress made relative to PFAS contamination, the efficiency of the program established under this chapter, and whether it continues to provide the maximum benefit to New Hampshire citizens, and providing any recommendations on potential additional tasks for which the fund could be used to address PFAS contamination.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:8, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:9 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:9 - Rules.

    485-H:9 Rules. –||The department shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to administering this chapter.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:8, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:10 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:10 - PFAS Remediation Loan Fund Established.

    485-H:10 PFAS Remediation Loan Fund Established. –||There is hereby established in the department the PFAS remediation loan fund which shall be maintained by the state treasurer in distinct and separate custody from all other funds, notwithstanding RSA 6:12. The state treasurer may invest the PFAS remediation loan fund in accordance with RSA 6:8. Any earnings on PFAS remediation loan fund moneys shall be added to the PFAS remediation loan fund. All moneys in the PFAS remediation loan fund shall be non-lapsing and shall be continually appropriated to the department. The PFAS remediation loan fund shall be used to fund loans and reimbursements in accordance with this chapter. Funds from any bond proceeds, grants, loan repayments, legislative appropriations, donations, and other funds related to the PFAS remediation loan fund shall be credited to the PFAS remediation loan fund.|||Source. 2020, 30:4, eff. July 23, 2020. 2021, 223:8, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:11 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:11 - Grants.

    485-H:11 Grants. –||I. The department, to the limit of the funds appropriated to the department for this purpose through the actions of the fiscal committee established under RSA 14:30-a, shall provide grants to entities meeting the eligibility requirements of RSA 485-H:3 and RSA 485-H:4 for up to the greater of $1,500,000 or 30 percent of the total eligible cost of the project.||II. In no instance shall the grant exceed the total eligible costs.||III. In no instance shall the sum of all department administered funding of the project, to include loans and grants, exceed the total eligible costs.||IV. If department administered funding had been secured prior to this grant being available, such that the addition of the grant would cause the sum of the funding to exceed the total eligible costs, then the department administered loan amounts shall be reduced on a prorated basis to the extent required to bring the sum of the funding equal to total eligible costs.|||Source. 2021, 223:9, eff. Aug. 24, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 485-H:12 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title L - Water Management and Protection|Title 485-H - Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) Fund and Programs|Section 485-H:12 - Statute of Limitations; Civil Actions; PFAS Exposure.

    485-H:12 Statute of Limitations;  Civil Actions;  PFAS Exposure. –||A civil action arising out of any harm or injury caused by a person or entity found legally responsible for or an action for any damages resulting from a PFAS exposure may be brought within the 6 years after the date the plaintiff discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, such harm, injury, or damages and the causal relationship of an act or omission to such harm, injury or damages. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting any action brought by the state.|||Source. 2021, 133:1, eff. Sept. 21, 2021.|