The New Hampshire Senate narrowly defeated two plans that would have strengthened air emission controls on two local waste incinerators.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein reports.
These two emission bills were pretty similar.
Both aimed to limit air pollution.
Both enjoyed strong bipartisan support.
And both failed to pass by 13-10 votes.
The first measure called for the Wheelabrator incinerator in Claremont to tighten its emission standards.
The bill could have required the Claremont facility emit no more than a larger incinerator in Contoocook.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Lempster Republican Bob ODell tried to tug at his colleagues heartstrings.
Under the name of fairness and equity, Odell talked about a baby born in Claremont and a baby born in Concord.
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1:27 ...Two children born on the same day, and yet something is very different. The child born east of the Penacook incinerator will live under the plume of an incinerator htat will have a higher standard for emissions than that little child that is living from the incinerator in Claremont.
Odell's speech helped secure ten votes, but the majority chose to send the bill to study.
Some senators in opposition argued the bill wasn't necessary.
They cited a plan to install new technology that is supposed to reduce emissions at the facility.
The second bill sought to prohibit a Hopkington facility from burning construction debris, including lead paint.
Currently no facility in New Hampshire burns such materials.
Supporters of the moratorium argued the House is already studying the bill.
So they said the Hopkington plant shouldn't be able to burn the debris until the House completes its report.
But Republican Senator Dick Green says the facility is in compliance with air regulations.
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1:48 based on my understanding of both the current regulations state and federal, that all the requirements are met...so I don't see any reason why we would deny and play a role as a regulator. We are not the regulators, we are creators of policy and law.
The Senate elected to send that bill to study as well.
Now the proposal is being studied by both House and Senate members.
Hopkington resident Ron Lajoe, is president of the community group REACH.
He was visibly upset after the Senate's vote.
2:11 this means that while everybody in the House and Senate agrees this needs to be studied, these guys can go forward and burn demolition material in the interim. Until the study comes out next year.
Lajoe worries burning the materials will release toxic lead and mercury emissions.
After the two votes, Nancy Girard with the Conservation Law Foundation shook her head in disappointment.
Girard says the senate didn't put the public's interest first.
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4:14 Clearly what I heard this morning is there is a huge concern they don't disadvantage business in this state. Well, business in this state has got to pay for the pollution they put into this state.
Senator Dick Green says just because the Senate sent the both bills to study doesn't mean lawmakers are ignoring the risks of air pollution.
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2:44 I think we are sending the message we are really concerned about the environment. And if everything is in order, we will support, and if everything is not in order, we will support that, and spend more time studying it.
For these two bills, more time in study means any effort to pass them will have to wait until the next legislative session beginning in January.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
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