Time to Roll Up our Sleeves for Climate Health
As a new year and a new session of the NH Legislature approaches, it's time for bipartisan commitment to a healthy future for New Hampshire's climate. Given that most of New Hampshire's annual 15,800,000 tons of CO2 emissions (NH DES, 2019) come from transportation and electricity generation, there are four areas where we need to see progress in 2023: widespread charging stations for electric vehicles, Capitol Corridor regional commuter rail, offshore wind energy development, and a climate action plan that includes mandated greenhouse gas reductions.
NH DES - NH Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector, 2019.
NH DOT has been studying Capitol Corridor rail since at least 2014, when it found a Manchester to Boston commuter rail line "the strongest alternative" for the overcrowded I-93/Route 3 corridor (NH Department of Transportation). Offshore wind has been studied since at least 2019 by the NH DES, but we're still treading water. The PUC has done its best to stifle EV charging stations across the State, and our toothless NH Climate Action Plan hasn't been updated since 2009.
It's time for us to roll up our sleeves and work with our Legislature, Governor, and Executive Council to find matching dollars for federal funds in these areas, get these projects started, and face reality about our alarming but still modifiable climate change future. It's time to show that the State is open for clean energy business. It’s way too expensive not to.
Paul Friedrichs, MD, Board Chair, NH HWCA
