SB76: relative to the prohibition of offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

CHAPTER 343

SB 76 - FINAL VERSION

03/07/2019 0880s

2019 SESSION

19-0900

08/10

SENATE BILL 76

AN ACT relative to the prohibition of offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Levesque, Dist 12; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Le, Rock. 31

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/07/2019 0880s 19-0900

08/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT relative to the prohibition of offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

343:1 New Section; Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Exploration Prohibited. Amend RSA 146-A by inserting after section 2 the following new section:

146-A:2-a Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Exploration Prohibited.

I. In this section, "development" means any pipeline or other infrastructure that transports oil or natural gas from production facilities located in federal waters or other coastal state waters in the Atlantic Ocean through New Hampshire coastal state waters and any land-based support facilities for offshore oil or natural gas production facilities located in the Atlantic Ocean.

II. Offshore oil or natural gas exploration, development, and production is prohibited in coastal state waters.

III. No tidal or submerged lands in coastal state waters shall be leased for the purposes of oil or natural gas exploration, development, or production.

IV. The department of environmental services shall not:

(a) Issue any permit or other approval for any development associated with offshore drilling for oil and natural gas whether proposed for in coastal state waters or outside of coastal state waters.

(b) Permit, approve or otherwise authorize any oil or natural gas exploration, development, or production in coastal state waters.

(c) Develop, adopt, or endorse any plans for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in coastal state waters.

343:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: September 11, 2019

Effective Date: November 10, 2019