At a time of political turbulence both statewide and on the federal level, it is good to see some small yet positive measures being proposed in the New Hampshire legislature.
HB105, titled “creating a new conservation license plate and directing the additional fee to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund,” seeks to do just that: Increase funding to fight harmful bacteria in our lakes by offering Granite Staters the chance to purchase a new loon-centric license plate.
The license plate proposal is not the first example of N.H. adopting environmentally friendly measures through license plate design. The state introduced a license plate depicting a moose in 1998 as an effort to increase funding which “supports several natural, historical and cultural resource programs,” according to the N.H. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.
Similarly, N.H. launched a “State Parks Plate” in 2010 with the benefit of allowing free entry to drivers with the emblem to enter N.H. State Park day-use areas.
A traditional license plate costs $15 up front, before manufacturing fees and state/town registration fees, while a Moose Plate costs $30 per year in addition to the traditional fees, and the State Parks Plate costs $85 a year in addition to fees, according to the N.H. Division of Motor Vehicles.
These license plates proved to be a great way of raising awareness to natural conservation issues as well as increasing funding through non-traditional means. Consumers opt into the plates, and with a state that hates taxes as much as ours, giving Granite Staters the choice to pay into good causes is a great idea.
To date, the Moose Plate has raised a whopping $34 million and has funded over 700 projects within the state, according to the Conservation & Heritage License Plate Program. Additionally, over 77,000 license plates were issued or renewed in 2024 alone.
In fiscal year 2023, the State Parks Plate raised over $1.7 million, according to the 2024 State Park System Advisory Council Director’s Report.
Given all this information, expanding upon these efforts seems like a no-brainer, and I am happy to see this bipartisan effort to tackle the real issue of bacteria in our lakes.
A media advisory released by the N.H. Lakes Association described cyanobacteria as posing a threat to people, pets and wildlife.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources states cyanobacteria blooms cause water to “look like pea soup or the surface may look as if paint has been spilled on the water,” adding the water may emit an unpleasant odor.
The bacteria itself produces cyanotoxins which, when released, can prove harmful or even lethal to humans and animals alike, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
A January 22 article from InDepthNH details grant funding in recent years that looked to tackle the issue or better understand it.
“White Oak Pond in Holderness recently received a $100,000 grant from the Department of Environmental Services for a watershed plan after incidents over the years have shown the lake suffering from cyanobacteria,” the article stated.
Additionally, the legislature allocated $1,000,000 to study the issue, with only $200,000 of that amount left over to fund future plans for tackling the bacteria.
I agree with the sentiment Andrea LaMoreaux, president of the N.H. Lakes Association, shared to InDepthNH, that the plate is not a solution but a good first step in bringing the issue to the forefront.
I am hopeful that this proposal will pass the legislature and raise awareness to the under-discussed issue of potential contamination in our lakes and I urge legislators to support this effort.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
nhope@kscequinox.com
