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New Hampshire News
- 10/29/08 - States Team up vs. Mercury
- 10/28/08 - Cost of Cleanup Program at PSNH's Bow Facility Drawing Criticism
- 10/04/08 - Green Building & Co-Housing Movement Starting to Take Off
- 09/29/08 - Uranium, E. Coli in Water Spawn Lawsuit
- 09/22/08 - Bladder Cancer Rates High in Region; Researchers Studying Why
- 09/17/08 - Climate Task Force Aims for Low Economic Impact
- 09/09/08 - Loon Nests Increasing, But It's No Time to Cheer
- 08/26/08 - Use of Food Stamps at Farmers' Markets Rises Nationally
- 08/22/08 - Grassroots Direct Action: San Francisco Voters Nov. 4 Will Tell Their Congress Reps to Defund the War
- 08/16/08 - Read This Book: Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture
- 08/04/08 - Parents Lack Closure in Daycare Case
- 07/24/08 - Has Your Town Declared Peace Yet?
- 07/10/08 - Large Question Faces Science of The Small
- 06/30/08 - States Taking Initiative on Environmental & Climate Crisis while Feds Do Little or Nothing
- 06/11/08 - Move Over MoveOn: Grassroots Netroots Alliance (GNA) Launches New Progressive Campaign to 'Press the Politicians'
- 06/10/08 - Food Banks Ask Gardeners to Grow Extra for Hungry
- 05/15/08 - Center for American Progress: What Are You Paying for the War?
- 05/08/08 - State Senate to Vote on Emissions Bill
- 04/23/08 - MtBE Prevalent in Belknap County's Private Wells
- 04/16/08 - New Hampshire Rep Has Made Impeaching Bush, Cheney Her Mission
- 04/02/08 - Forest Laboratory
- 03/21/08 - N.H. House Approves Global Warming Initiative
- 03/09/08 - Stonyfield & HP Hood Refuse to Pay Organic Dairy Farmers a Fair Price for Their Milk
- 02/25/08 - Product Durability, Do Consumers Care?
- 01/11/08 - New Hampshire Recount & Black Box Voting - Is Dennis Kucinich Walking Into a Trap?
- 01/11/08 - More on Election Irregularities & Controversy in NH Primary--Kucinich Calls for Recount
- 01/11/08 - Kucinich Undaunted by Fifth-Place Showing in NH
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Ask the Governor to Support Clean Cars
In 2004 the second largest source of global warming emissions in New Hampshire (about 40 percent) came from transportation. One way to curb this would be with the passage of the Clean Car Program. The Clean Car Program sets strong emissions standards and promotes new car technology such as electric cars. It is a program that could both help New Hampshire cut down on global warming emissions and also reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
However, car manufacturers have been opposing this and other clean car programs through the country. It is up to us to let Governor Lynch know that the people of New Hampshire want clean cars, and that he must listen to the needs of the people above the needs of the car manufacturers.
Last Updated 7/10/08
Session Roundup: New Hampshire
July 3, 2008
Lawmakers made notable gains on several fronts, with new progressive leadership elected in 2006 making good use of their positions:
Health Care: Lawmakers enacted the HealthFirst initiative (SB 540) requiring insurers to offer a standard "wellness plan" to small businesses with targets for premiums to be priced at 10% of the previous year's state median wage, roughly $262 per month. The plan will cap a person's out-of-pocket medical expenses and seeks to achieve cost savings by emphasizing preventive measures that are typically available only to large businesses. The legislation also outlaws insurers from developing competing plans designed to undercut the new program.
Budget: Facing lower revenue projections, lawmakers earlier in the year approved $22 million in cuts to state health programs and hopsital payments as part of a $50 million package of cuts to the 2008 state fiscal year budget. Considerable acrimony marked a special session in early June to address a potential $180 million budget shortfall in the two-year $10.3 billion state budget. Democratic majorities and Governor Lynch resorted to several measures to balance the books in the current fiscal year and begin to address a possible $83 million shortfall next year. Steps included: $30 million in budget cuts, an increase in the state's low cigarette tax, a cut in the wine discount for retailers who purchase wine from state liquor stores, and a potential $80 million in borrowing over two years.
Clean Energy and Environment: New Hampshire joined the 10-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which creates a market-based, "cap and trade" program among Northeast states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from regional power plants. Funds raised from the purchase of "allowances" by fossil fuel power plants would help pay for energy savings and efficiency programs.
Payday Lending: In a victory for consumers, lawmakers passed a 36% interest rate cap on all small loans, a measure that the payday lending industry strongly opposed.
State Pension Overhaul: Lawmakers passed a temprorary overhaul of the state pension system while ceding more difficult decisions concerning future cost-of-living increases and how to help all public retirees afford health insurance to two new commissions. Steps include consolidating funds to keep state and local contributions to more manageable levels, a 1.5% cost-of-living increase for retirees, and a cap on pensions of 100% of pay.
Infrastructure: Governor Lynch signed a 10-year plan to improve the state's infrastructure. The $2.1 billion plan, funded with state and federal funds, focuses on rehabilitating existing roads and bridges; although a potential cut in federal funds and the effect of oil prices on construction costs are presenting early problems for the plan. And, the state continues to move forward in the development of commuter rail.
Take Action. Support Green Jobs!
The Green Jobs Act of 2007 authorized $125 million per year to create an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program as an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The Green Jobs Act (GJA) is an initial pilot program to identify needed skills, develop training programs, and train workers for jobs in a range of industries - including energy efficient building, construction and retrofits, renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles, biofuels, and manufacturing that produces sustainable products and uses sustainable processes and materials. It targets a broad range of populations for eligibility, but has a special focus on creating "green pathways out of poverty."
Congress has not yet appropriated money for the Green Jobs Act. Please contact your Senator today and urge them to fund the Green Jobs Act of 2007!
Read more at Green for All's web site.
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