SIX lake-friendly bills need YOUR SUPPORT! (by Jan. 12!)

A special message from NHLakes.org

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for–YOUR first opportunity to give your lake, and all our lakes, a voice during the 2026 New Hampshire Legislative Session!  

This coming week, our lakes need YOU to stand up for SIX lake-friendly bills! These bills will help prevent harmful chemicals from contaminating our waters and provide critical funding to fight toxic cyanobacteria blooms.

Read to learn more, and then take action. Sign in online in support of these bills and share your story about why these initiatives are critical for restoring and preserving the health of your lake, and all of New Hampshire’s lakes.

For an even greater impact, join me at the hearings. You do not need to testify in person–simply showing up in numbers makes a powerful statement. If you would like to testify, please contact me in advance so we can coordinate our talking points.

Advocacy is most effective when legislators hear directly from those who care the most. Whether or not you vote in New Hampshire, if you love one of our 1,000 lakes and ponds, our legislators want—and NEED—to hear from you.

Thank you for being a voice for New Hampshire’s lakes,

Andrea LaMoreaux

President and Policy Advocate

alamoreaux@nhlakes.org

PS: Please share this urgent call to action with your friends, neighbors, and family members who also love our lakes.

 SUPPORT FUNDING TO FIGHT CYANO

What it does: HB 1301 raises the annual individual mooring fee from $25 to $50 on lakes with mooring programs. Half of that fee ($25) would go directly to the Cyanobacteria Mitigation Loan and Grant Fund, raising about $80,000 per year—a modest but helpful boost.

Why it matters: Created in 2023, this fund has already helped a handful of lake and watershed associations fight back against harmful cyanobacteria blooms. But it is now nearly depleted—even as more lakes are affected each year—and there is no sustainable funding source to replenish it.

Hearing: Wed. Jan. 14, 11:30am, Granite Place, Room 228

Sign-In Online in Support: 

STEP 1:  Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

STEP 2: Select the date of the hearing: Wed. Jan. 14

STEP 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development

Choose the Bill: 11:30am – HB 1301

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

STEP 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

STEP 5: Submit

HB 1477: Establishing a permit program for anchored seasonal floating platforms

What it does: This bill requires all anchored seasonal platforms, including inflatables, on public waters to obtain a $50 permit from the Department of Safety, Division of State Police Marine Patrol. Permit revenue is split evenly, with $25 going to the Navigation Safety Fund, which funds marine patrol operations and boating safety enforcement, and $25 to the Cyanobacteria Mitigation Loan and Grant Fund.

Why it matters: This bill strengthens boating and navigation safety by supporting marine patrol operations, while also creating a new, sustainable funding source to help communities address harmful cyanobacteria blooms. While the Department of Safety estimates it would need two additional staff to administer the program, the revenue from registering platforms across New Hampshire’s approximately 1,000 lakes is likely to far outweigh the added administrative costs.

Hearing: Wed. Jan. 14, 2:30pm, Granite Place, Room 228

Sign-In Online in Support:

Step 1:  Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select the date of the hearing: Wed. Jan. 14

Step 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development

Choose the Bill: 2:30pm – HB 1477

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

Step 5: Submit

SUPPORT POLLUTION PREVENTION

What it does: This bill restricts the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds, a common agricultural pesticide application.

Why it matters: Neonicotinoids can leach from treated seeds into soil, then move into groundwater and surface runoff water that flows into lakes and rivers. In the water, they can disrupt the aquatic food web, reducing insects and zooplankton that help control algae and creating conditions that favor harmful cyanobacteria blooms. Limiting their use helps protect lake ecosystems, water quality, and recreation.

Hearing: Tues. Jan. 13, 10:00am, Granite Place, Room 153

Sign-In Online in Support: 

Step 1:  Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select the date of the hearing: Tues. Jan. 13

Step 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Choose the Bill: 10:00am – HB 1086

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

Step 5: Submit

HB 1431: Restricting the use of neonicotinoid pesticides

What it does: Reduces pesticide runoff into lakes and streams by limiting neonicotinoid use to trained applicators and eliminating of the ways they are applied.

Why it matters: Neonicotinoids can leach into soil, groundwater, and runoff water, disrupting aquatic food webs by harming insects and zooplankton, and creating conditions that favor algal and harmful cyanobacteria blooms. The bill also protects pollinators and wildlife while promoting safer, more sustainable pest management practices across the state.

Hearing: Tues. Jan. 13, 9:00 am, Granite Place, Room 153

Sign-In Online in Support:

Step 1: Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select the date of the hearing: Tues., Jan 13

Step 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Choose the Bill: 9:00 am – HB 1431

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

Step 5: Submit

HB 1607: Improving storage and management of salt and ice control chemicals

What it does: This bill sets rules for the storage and management of snow and ice control chemicals—including sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and treated abrasives—so they don’t contaminate groundwater or surface water. The Department of Environmental Services will issue regulations for safe storage, with stricter requirements near areas already affected by these chemicals.

Why it matters:  Runoff from improperly stored road salts and de-icing chemicals can harm drinking water sources, lakes, and aquatic ecosystems, including creating conditions that favor harmful cyanobacteria blooms. Safe storage and management help protect water quality and public health.

Hearing: Tues. Jan. 13, 10:30am, Granite Place, Room 228

Sign-In Online in Support: 

Step 1: Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select the date of the hearing: Tues., Jan 13

Step 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Choose the Bill: 10:30am – HB 1607

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

Step 5: Submit

HB 1810: Establishing a road salt fee to fund salt reduction best practices

What it does: This bill establishes a $4 per ton fee on bulk road salt, road salt mix, and brine sold in New Hampshire, collected by certified bulk sellers and deposited into a new Road Salt Mitigation Fund. The fund will support grants to municipalities, businesses, and the state for certified winter maintenance practices, helping them acquire equipment and follow best practices. Bulk sellers must register and maintain records, and the bill sets penalties for noncompliance.

Why it matters: Road salt runoff can contaminate groundwater and surface water, harming lakes, rivers, and aquatic ecosystems—including conditions that favor cyanobacteria blooms. The fee provides a dedicated funding source (estimated at $4 million annually) to reduce salt pollution, improve public water protection, and support safer and more effective winter road maintenance. State and municipal costs are expected to be modest and partially offset by grant funding and more effective use of materials.

Hearing: Mon. Jan. 12, 11:30am, Granite Place, Room 159

Sign-In Online in Support: 

Step 1: Go to the Online Testimony Submission Form. Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select the date of the hearing: Mon., Jan 12

Step 3: Select Bill

Select the Committee: House Ways and Means

Choose the Bill: 11:30am – HB 1810

I am: A member of the public

I’m Representing: Myself

Indicate your position on this Bill: I support this bill

Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony

Tell the committee why you support the bill and why they should, too. Upload an attachment or type a few sentences into the space provided.

Step 5: Submit

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Tips on How to Advocate

The lakes we all love can’t take care of themselves. They need you to do your part. You can invest in restoring and preserving the health of our lakes by making a charitable donation today.