The CNHRPC office is closed to the public through May 31 as per Governor Sununu's Emergency Orders 17 and 40. The CNHRPC operations will continue during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. All CNHRPC staff have been given the option to work from home until such time that it deemed safe to return to the office. Our staff are equipped with the necessary technology, network access and remote meeting tools to communicate with you effectively.

We are all accessible via email. For staff email addresses, please visit the Contact Us page. You can also call the main CNHRPC office line at 226-6020.

What's New

Virtual Workshop: Protecting Wildlife Corridors

Plan for the future of your community by building a network of connected wildlife habitats. Attend this virtual workshop to learn about a new and easily accessible planning tool that identifies regionally significant wildlife corridors across Southeastern New Hampshire. Following an introductory presentation, a panel will be on-hand to answer your questions and offer additional guidance and resources. See the attached flyer for more information and register at www.bit.ly/nhcorridors.

Emergency Order #23 - Modification of Municipal & Local government Statutory Requirements 

• Emergency Order #23 - Temporary modification of municipal and local government statutory requirements 

Guidance on Public Meetings during COVID-19 State of Emergency

Governor Sununu has issued Executive Order #12 which provides new guidance on the conduct of meetings, including electronic meetings. In addition, the New Hampshire Department of Justice has issued guidance on public meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have questions or need some assistance related to public meetings please contact Matt Monahan at CNHRPC.

• Executive Order 12
• Specific Guidance on Holding an Emergency Meeting
• SOE E-Meeting Checklist

What Municipalities should know about Coronavirus - 2019 (COVID-19)

The New Hampshire Municipal Association is providing these resources from federal and state agencies in order to assist cities and towns in developing appropriate responses at the local level regarding COVID-19. Topics include The Right-to-Know Law, Town meeting Postponement, NH SEOC Activation, and more. https://www.nhmunicipal.org/covid-19-resources. 

Biking/Walking Resources and Activities to Utilize During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We wanted to provide some informative resources and fun activities related to biking and walking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biking and walking is an ideal way of getting around while maintaining social distancing, combating cabin fever, reducing stress and increasing your health. Please remain safe and make smart decisions for both you and others. You should follow your local government’s guidelines at all times, which supersedes any guidance or recommendations provided here. All of these links were found online and were not created or are not associated with CNHRPC.

• Bingo! - CommuteSmart NH has two bingo cards available for biking and walking.
  • Bike Bingo Card
  • Walk Bingo Card
• Self-Guided Walking/Biking Tours - Check out a local self-guided tour by either walking or biking. All can be done in full or in smaller sections.
  • Historic Downtown Concord
  • Suncook Village
  • Hopkinton Village Greenway Map & Station Signs 
  • Sutton Muster Field Farm Museum & the Matthew Harvey Homestead
• Hiking Trails & State Parks - Here are some trails and state parks in the area that offer recreation options.
  • State Park Trails Maps
  • NH Audubon Sanctuaries and Trails
  • Northern Rail Trail and the Hannah Duston Memorial Historic Site
  • Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail
  • Be sure to  check out your municipality's website for local trail and recreation information
• Bike-Walk Alliance of NH - bwanh.org/ and  www.facebook.com/BWANH/ Learn more about biking and walking in New Hampshire as well as events occurring around the state. They have several "Social Distancing Virtual Cycling Events" happening, including a Bikes & Beers Social Distancing Ride! They also have a page on their website with tips for bicycling and walking during the pandemic.
• Central NH Bike Coalition - www.cnhbc.org/ and www.facebook.com/CNHBC/  The Central NH Bike Coalition has a collection of resources and events related to biking in our region of New Hampshire. They are currently hosting a photo challenge on their Facebook page that is giving away some swag from S&W Sports!
• Ride Healthy - www.ride-healthy.com This site focuses on getting more people biking to help us all get through the Coronavirus Era and beyond.
• National Bike Month - Celebrate Bike Month in May! Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and is promoted by the League of American Bicyclist. Learn More at bikeleasgue.org/bikemonth.
• Strava Activity Tracker - Strava is a popular method of tracking your bicycling and running activities. There are many resources available to assist in using Strava and some are listed below.
  • Strava Support Center (via support.strava.com)
  • Strava - The Ultimate Guide (via trainingwithdata.com)
  • How to Start Using Strava (via runnersworld.com)

Google Releases Data on Mobility Changes in New Hampshire due to COVID-19

Google Mobility has provided recent data on commuting trends due to the impact of COVID-19. This data, released on April 15th, shows the change in movement across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential. Trends for Merrimack County are displayed below. Find out more at: https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/

Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has approximately $300,000 of funding available through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program.  This Request for Proposals (RFP) is a second round of funding administered by NHDES through the State Clean Diesel Grant Program.

The State Clean Diesel Grant Program provides partial funding for local/state governments and businesses operating in New Hampshire to reduce emissions through idle reduction technologies, exhaust controls, and/or replacement of older on- or off-road diesel engines/vehicles/equipment with newer engines/vehicles/equipment.  Grant funding is available with a required match by the grantee.  Eligible project submissions will be scored and selected through a competitive solicitation process.  To view prior grant recipients and previous projects visit the NH DERA Project webpage at the link below.

Round 2 RFP applications will be accepted from April 8 through June 3 at 4PM.  To access the RFP, Application, Scoring Criteria and “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” documents visit the NH DERA Project webpage: https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/air/tsb/tps/msp/diesel-vehicles/dera.htm

April 1st is Census Day!  

April 1st is Census Day, a key reference date for the 2020 Census- not a deadline. The Census Bureau uses this day to determine who is counted and where in the 2020 Census. When responding to the Census, you'll tell the Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020, and include everyone who usually lives and sleeps in your home. You can respond before or after that date. Learn more about the 2020 Census: https://2020census.gov/en.html

Spring 2020 Issue of Flood Lines is now available! 

Download the Spring 2020 Flood Lines Newsletter for details on online training, news about elevation certificates, flood plain mapping updates, and more!

CommuteSmart NH's June Statewide Commuter Challenge is back for 2020!

CommuteSmart NH (CSNH) is hosting its second annual employer-based challenge for the month of June, encouraging businesses, organizations and municipalities from across the state to adapt their current commuting practices by trying more sustainable methods of getting to work. For more information, check out CommuteSmart NH's website or contact info@commutesmartnh.org.

Now Available: Spring Report of State Hydrology and Watershed Conditions

The NH Silver Jackets Team, a state-led team of state and federal agencies and programs, announces the 2020 Spring Report of State Hydrology and Watershed Conditions. Team members, including those from NHDES, United States Geological Survey, and the National Weather Service have worked together to compile information on the status of NH streamflows, groundwater conditions, lake levels, snowpack and flood potential heading into the spring snowmelt and runoff season.

The report is designed to provide this important information to local emergency management directors and the public so everyone is aware of how the spring runoff season may progress in terms of flood risk, enabling them to be better prepared. Municipal officials are especially encouraged to download a copy of the Spring Report of State Hydrology and Watershed Conditions.

Agency team members will monitor these conditions in the coming weeks as spring progresses, and are prepared to update this report in mid- to late-March if current predicted flood potential changes. For more information, please contact Shane Csiki, New Hampshire Geological Survey, Shane.Csiki@des.nh.gov  or (603) 271-2876.

CNHRPC Community Profiles Have Been Updated

NH OSI Spring Planning & Zoning Conference - CANCELLED

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak,  and the surrounding uncertainties, the New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) has cancelled the 2020 Spring Planning and Zoning Conference, which was scheduled on May 30, 2020. The conference will resume in the Spring of 2021.

In lieu of a Spring Conference this year, OSI will be partnering with the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) to offer a Fall Planning and Zoning Conference on Saturday, October 31, 2020 in Concord. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

2020 Census

What is the 2020 Census and why is it important? Learn more: https://2020census.gov/en.html 

Carsey School of Public Policy Releases What is New Hampshire?

Useful to policymakers, nonprofits, business leaders, and New Hampshire residents, What is New Hampshire? is now in the hands of the Carsey School of Public Policy after previously being produced by the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies. While there are some different data sources and historical comparison periods employed in this version, the biggest change is that What is New Hampshire? has moved largely online. As a result:

• Graphics are interactive—allowing users who wish for deeper dives to see data in different ways while not bogging down the presentation for users who do not.
• There will be no single date when the entire publication is released. During 2019 and 2020 sections will be added as they are completed. Subsequently, they will be updated periodically. They will be structured so that as new data are available sections can be updated periodically.

The purpose of What is New Hampshire? is to set a factual baseline of understanding as the state makes decisions about its future. It is a set of facts and simple descriptive text describing where we are, where we have been, and what challenges we may face based on our analysis.

New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook for Municipal Officials

A valuable new flood hazards resource is now available for NH’s public officials relating to flood preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. A team collaboration of federal and NH State agencies under the NH Silver Jackets program developed the New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook, A Guide for Municipal Officials. Completed with local and regional experienced-based feedback based on flooding events in New Hampshire communities over the last 15 years, the resource was finalized in October 2019 and is available online for download on the NH Silver Jackets website.

The Guide is organized into situation-specific sections: Before the Flood, During the Flood, and After the Flood (both Short Term and Long Term Recovery). Included is an editable Emergency Flood Response and Recovery Checklist for Emergency Management Directors to use during a flooding situation and a list containing essential State Agency Contact Information. An informative article describing the Flood Hazards Handbook in depth is located on the NH Municipal Association website. For further information about the Handbook, contact Samara Ebinger at the NH Office of Strategic Initiatives (NH OSI) by email at samara.ebinger@osi.nh.gov or by phone at 603.271.1755. Be sure to follow NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management on Twitter @NH_HSEM. Please download your copy of the NH Flood Hazards Handbook today!

FY 2021-2030 Transportation Improvement Program

CNHRPC's Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to cover Fiscal Years 2021-2030 was adopted by CNHRPC's Full Commission on April 11, 2019.
The CNHRPC 2021-2030 TIP 

NH-MS4 Municipalities Blog