November-December 2024 NHDES Environmental News

November-December 2024

Environmental News

Newsletter of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

COMMISSIONER'S COLUMN

Huge effort targets lead in drinking water

Over the next several months, thousands of New Hampshire residents will be receiving letters from their water system notifying them of new federal requirements for lead in drinking water. The new federal regulations require that water systems identify the materials in all service lines and locate and replace all lead and galvanized pipe downstream of lead pipes by 2037.

a bathymetry image of a new hampshire lake

Bathymetry map of Lake Kanasatka (Moultonborough) created using modern sounding methods in 2023.

The Hidden Landscape Beneath: Understanding bathymetry in our lakes

Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the surface of your favorite lake? That's where bathymetry comes in. Often described as underwater topography, bathymetry is the study of the shape and depth of underwater terrain. While it's crucial for creating navigational charts, the importance of bathymetry extends far beyond helping boaters avoid submerged obstacles.

Contaminated site cleanups in NH get federal funding boost

The NHDES Brownfields program had an exciting summer assisting communities and other Brownfields grantees with unprecedented opportunities for legacy Brownfields sites throughout New Hampshire. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provided a historic investment in Brownfields sites directly through EPA Brownfields Grant Funding.

While the EPA Brownfields program has always been an important part of addressing legacy contamination across the state and sparking revitalization in communities, previous funding program caps greatly limited the amount of cleanup that could be performed.

old postcard image of the sinclair hotel

One highlight from the past year is the former Sinclair Hotel site located in Bethlehem, currently an open lot in the center of downtown. TOP: What the Sinclair Hotel in Bethlehem once looked like. BOTTOM: The site of the Sinclair after being remediated using Brownfields cleanup funding.

Oil spill exercise simulates hurricane damage

The Portsmouth Oil Spill Response Work Group held its annual large full-scale oil spill exercise in September, led by NHDES. This event brings together multiple state and federal agencies along with industry partners practicing a response to a significant spill on the coast.

EPA Region 1 staff tour Peterborough air monitoring station

a group of people pose for a photo in the fog

On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, NHDES hosted a tour of the NCore multipollutant ambient air monitoring station on Pack Monadnock for EPA Region 1 Staff. The goal of this visit was to introduce EPA Region 1 staff to an air monitoring station to see what is involved and how it operates.

SBTAP partnership with NHADA: Environmental compliance video series

The Small Business Technical Assistance Program and New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association continue to strengthen their partnership by creating a series of videos on environmental compliance for auto repair, auto body and auto dealerships. While the target audience is the automobile industry, many topics are of interest to other sectors.

New Rechargeable Battery Disposal Ban to take effect

Starting July 1, 2025, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries will be prohibited from disposal in New Hampshire’s landfills and incinerators. Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide variety of consumer products. Lithium-ion batteries contain hazardous metals and can pose safety hazards when improperly managed. When crushed or damaged in any way, they can ignite – causing intense fires.

More News from NHDES

Upcoming Events

Climate Planning Update: CCAP Kick-Off Events! 

December 10 and 11, 2024

The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is the next deliverable under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program and there is much to do before the December 2025 deadline. Stakeholders and the public are invited to join the NHDES team on December 11 (in person) or December 10 (virtual) to learn about the CCAP process plan, timeline, and the many opportunities for involvement over the coming year.

Details

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

editor@des.nh.gov

www.des.nh.gov

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