Maryland's Low Ratings Result of Pro-Environmental Legislature
Jim O'Brien: Preserving NH's land and history should be a higher priority
Jim O'Brien: Preserving NH's land and history should be a higher priority
Jim O'Brien: Preserving NH's land and history should be a higher priority
By JIM O'BRIEN
Commentary
8 hours, 41 minutes ago
IN 2003, Republican Gov. Craig Benson proposed reducing the budget for the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) from $12 million to $8 million. With Benson's blessing the Republican-controlled Legislature slashed funding even further, leaving the program with only $750,000 on average per year to invest in the preservation of land and historic properties for all of New Hampshire.
Unfortunately, funding for conservation has remained at this same level ever since, effectively taking the New Hampshire state government out of the business of funding conservation.
It is important to remember that LCHIP is the state government's only funding mechanism dedicated to preserving land and historic properties for future generations. In the New Hampshire tradition, LCHIP is a true partnership between state government, local communities and private citizens. For every one dollar LCHIP invests in a project, the community raises an additional $5.95 from other private, federal and municipal sources to match it. Through LCHIP, the state has a seat at the table in determining which resources are most in need of protection.
After watching LCHIP be essentially removed from the 2004-05 budget, lawmakers, activists and conservation advocates vowed to find ways to restore future funding for conservation in New Hampshire. Last fall, candidates for governor, Senate and House effectively ran campaigns in which shoring up funding for LCHIP was identified as a top priority.
True to their word, both Gov. John Lynch and the New Hampshire House of Representatives proposed restoring state funding for conservation at $12 million in their respective budgets. The House went a step further and created a dedicated funding source for LCHIP so that it could provide sustained and predictable funding to communities for long-term conservation planning.
Unfortunately, the Senate has not placed the same priority as the House and governor on shoring up LCHIP's beleaguered budget.
Last week, the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, D-Manchester, voted overwhelmingly to fund only half of the $12 million proposed by Gov. Lynch and the House for LCHIP, turning down multiple options for providing the program with a dedicated funding source. The $6 million over the biennium proposed by the Senate committee is $2 million less than Craig Benson asked for in his budget four years ago.
To put into context where funding for LCHIP resides if the Senate budget passed the state would dedicate just one-half of one tenth of 1 percent (0.05 percent) of its entire $10.2 billion budget to protecting our state's most important natural and historic resources. Is this the priority funding that senators campaigned on last fall?
Senators need to step forward and explain to New Hampshire residents why conservation continues to receive far less than priority attention in their budget. It is not acceptable for candidates to support LCHIP during political campaign season, but once elected neglect to prioritize the funding needed for the program to be successful.
New Hampshire is a state which prides itself on its natural landscape, rural character and historic properties. It is clear that the budget voted on last week by the Senate Finance Committee fails to provide LCHIP with the necessary funds it needs to succeed. It is time for New Hampshire leaders to step up and ensure that future generations of Granite Staters can enjoy the natural and historic treasures that make our state the unique place that it is.
Jim O'Brien is executive director of the Granite State Conservation Voters Alliance.
2010 LCV State Capacity Building Annual Conference
