RSA 12-A:9-c · Nash Stream Forest Citizens Committee

12-A:9-c Nash Stream Forest Citizens Committee. –

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I.

There is established the Nash Stream forest citizens committee. Committee membership shall be as follows and shall include a minimum of 7 members who are residents of any community in the Great North Woods region:

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(a)

One resident of the town of Stark, appointed by the selectmen.

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(b)

One resident of the town of Stratford, appointed by the selectmen.

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(c)

One resident of the town of Columbia, appointed by the selectmen.

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(d)

One person who shall have expertise in forestry and timber harvesting, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

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(e)

One person who shall have expertise in monitoring conservation easements, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

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(f)

One person who shall have expertise in outdoor recreation and tourism, appointed by the president of the senate.

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(g)

One person who shall have expertise in forest ecology and management of natural areas, appointed by the president of the senate.

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(h)

Two persons appointed by the governor with the consent of the council, one of whom shall be a representative of a New Hampshire snowmobile club, and one of whom shall be a representative of a New Hampshire environmental organization.

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(i)

A Coos county commissioner, or designee.

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(j)

The commissioner of the department of resources and economic development, or a citizen appointed by the commissioner as designee.

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(k)

The executive director of the fish and game department, or a citizen appointed by the executive director as designee.

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(l)

One person who is a member of the Nash Stream Campowners Association, appointed by the commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources.

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II.

Each member shall serve a 3-year term. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of office in the same manner as the original appointment. Members may serve successive terms. Persons serving on the Connecticut Lakes headwaters citizens committee shall not be eligible to serve as appointed members of the Nash Stream forest citizens committee.

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III.

The members shall elect a chairperson from among the public members. Preference shall be given to a resident of the Great North Woods region if a member from that area is willing to serve as chairman, otherwise another public member shall be elected.

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IV.

The committee shall meet at least annually and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary. At least once annually, the committee shall meet to review the management plan of the state-owned properties as prepared by the managing state agencies. The committee's meetings shall be open to the public, in accordance with RSA 91-A. Interested members of the public shall be allowed to speak before the committee or to submit statements. Records, reports, and working papers generated or used by the committee, or both, shall be made available to the public for inspection or copying. The committee shall not be responsible to the public for the costs of copying its documents.

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V.

The duties of the committee shall include and be limited to:

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(a)

Providing advice to the monitoring entity for monitoring compliance with the terms and conditions of the working forest conservation easement covering approximately 39,601 acres of the Nash Stream forest tract.

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(b)

Providing advice to the department of natural and cultural resources and the fish and game department on the management of public recreational use of the Nash Stream forest tract, including the seasonal use of the road system, snowmobile trails and their use, and the terms for access and use of the tract by motorized vehicles.

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(c)

Providing advice on the management of natural areas within the tract.

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(d)

Providing advice to the department of natural and cultural resources and the fish and game department on any proposed revision to the stewardship or management plans required by the conservation easements on the 39,601 acres or the natural areas and, should amendments to these easements ever be contemplated, on the proposed amendments.

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(e)

Any and all duties of the "Citizen Advisory Committee" as outlined in the Nash Stream Management Plan of 1995 and revisions of 2002.

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VI.

The commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources shall designate a state employee from the department as the administrative officer of the committee. The administrative officer shall attend each meeting of the committee and provide recordkeeping and related administrative and clerical assistance to the committee.

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VII.

The terms and provisions of the conservation easements shall at all times provide the legal basis for the committee's advice and authority, and any legal opinion of the easement's terms shall be rendered by the attorney general. Source. 2004, 45:1, eff. July 2, 2004. 2017, 156:14, I, eff. July 1, 2017.

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