Override That Veto!

To the Editor:

COVID-19 slashed household and town income in N.H. and across the country. Senator Martha Fuller Clark’s June 24th “My Turn” [column in the Concord Monitor] highlights a bipartisan solution to save money for towns and citizens: expand net metering (renewable energy sharing). Make it more accessible in our state.

Last year net metering bill HB365 passed the Senate and House with bipartisan support. Governor Sununu vetoed this bill; the vote to override failed. A similar fate met net metering SB446 in 2018.

HB365 would have saved N.H. businesses and communities $2-$2.5 million annually, just on electricity generated with hydropower. Tax- and rate-payers would have saved hundreds of dollars.

This year a new net metering bill, SB159 led by Republican Jeb Bradley and Senator Fuller Clark, passed both chambers–to be vetoed (again) by the Governor. The Senate overrode the veto by a bipartisan 17-7 vote. Now it’s up to the House to override Sununu’s veto.

Three times, our bipartisan lawmakers supported an important net metering energy bill, until Sununu brow-beat them to let his three vetoes stand. This keeps the Governor’s fossil fuel donors happy, but what of the people of New Hampshire? Twelve of the state’s 13 mayors petitioned Sununu to support net metering. If this third veto is allowed to stand, we continue fossil fuel dependence, lose good new energy jobs, keep rates and property taxes high, and fail to create an energy plan for the future.

I call on the House to concur with the Senate veto override immediately. Let the projects—and jobs—begin!

Susan Richman

Durham, N.H.

Susan:

Thank you for so clearly laying out this issue. You have simultaneously made clear both the benefits of net metering, and the Governor’s willingness to put the interests of corporations before those of the people.

The Editor

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