SB16: establishing a stakeholders' group to address utility poles and attachments in New Hampshire.

CHAPTER 138

SB 16 - FINAL VERSION

4May2023... 1408h

2023 SESSION

23-0805

10/05

SENATE BILL 16

AN ACT establishing a stakeholders' group to address utility poles and attachments in New Hampshire.

SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Rep. Grote, Rock. 24; Rep. Cambrils, Merr. 4

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a stakeholder’s group to address utility poles and attachments in the state, under the direction of the director of the division of enforcement in the department of energy. The stakeholder's group is repealed in 2029.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

4May2023... 1408h 23-0805

10/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT establishing a stakeholders' group to address utility poles and attachments in New Hampshire.

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

138:1 New Section; Utility Pole Stakeholder's Group. Amend RSA 374 by inserting after section 34-a the following new section:

374:34-b Utility Pole Stakeholder's Group. There is established in the department of energy a stakeholder’s group to address utility poles and attachments in the state. The stakeholder’s group shall be under the direction of the director of the division of enforcement.

I. The stakeholder's group shall consist of:

(a) The chairperson of the public utilities commission, or designee.

(b) The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee.

(c) The following members appointed by the governor:

(1) One member nominated by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.

(2) Two members representing different companies owning poles in New Hampshire who are members of the New Hampshire Telephone Association (NHTA).

(3) One member from a New Hampshire electric cooperative.

(4) Two members from investor-owned New Hampshire electric utilities.

(5) One member each from a competitive telephone utility and a provider of cellular telephone service, which are currently attached to poles in New Hampshire.

(6) One member representing the New England Cable and Telecommunications Association, Inc. (NECTA).

II. Responsibilities of the stakeholder's group include:

(a) Increasing utilization, improving functionality of attachment management systems (e.g., NJUNS), and identifying solutions to resolve communication issues among all parties.

(b) Increasing participation in NJUNS, or another centralized system of information sharing.

(c) Exploring enhancements to attachment management systems (e.g. NJUNS) which result in greater efficiency and less delay.

(d) Continuing the focus on attachment identification and pole location information.

(e) Addressing specifically, PUC rules 1303,06, 1303.07 and 1303.12 regarding pole transfers.

III. The frequency of the meetings of the stakeholder's group shall be at the discretion of the director of the division of enforcement.

IV. On or before November 1 of each year, the department of energy shall report on the stakeholder's group to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chairs of the senate and house committees with jurisdiction over energy and utilities.

138:2 Repeal; 2029. RSA 374:34-b, relative to the utility pole stakeholder's group, is repealed.

138:3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2029.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 30, 2023

Effective Date:

I. Section 2 effective July 1, 2029

II. Remainder effective August 29, 2023