This blog was originally published as an oped in the Concord Monitor on November 16.
As we congratulate Kelly Ayotte as New Hampshire’s next governor, we face a moment of opportunity for our state. The governor-elect has the chance to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities. Here are three key priorities that should be at the forefront of her administration, and that provide Governor-elect Ayotte the opportunity to lead in ways that will strengthen the health of New Hampshire and our communities.
Building a Clean Energy Economy
The Granite State must be proactive in seizing the opportunities clean energy presents for our workforce, our economy, and preserving everything we love about New Hampshire for our kids and grandkids.
Our communities are already feeling the impacts of climate change: Warmer winters are giving us shorter skiing, pond hockey, and ice fishing seasons. Summer extremes, from record rainfall one year to drought conditions the next year, are harming our farmers. And iconic wildlife like moose are declining in population. The things we love most about living in New Hampshire are at risk.
Leadership from the corner office to ensure Granite Staters benefit from clean energy technology and opportunities will help us upgrade our economy and protect the New Hampshire we’re all proud to call home.
Tackling the Waste Crisis
For too long, New Hampshire has been a dumping ground for trash from other states, including Massachusetts, leaving our communities to deal with the air and water pollution that comes with hosting massive landfills. The best way to deal with waste is to reduce it, and only rely on landfills as a last resort.
But key players in the waste industry, companies that profit off the trash they bury, are fighting for the status quo. We need to hit pause on new and expanded landfills and implement programs that move away from disposing waste and focus on reducing it instead.
With leadership and innovation, including approaches that can reduce or eliminate waste from other states, the governor-elect can solve a problem that’s been plaguing New Hampshire (unnecessarily) for too long.
Making Our Homes Safer
Every Granite Stater deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment. But right now, the presence of toxic substances like lead and forever chemicals endanger our health, particularly for vulnerable communities. It’s imperative that we take action to better protect our families and neighbors from these harmful pollutants.
Strengthening laws aimed at protecting our kids from lead poisoning, and new rules to protect our water and air from toxic forever chemicals will ensure that all New Hampshire residents can live in a safe and healthy environment. It’s essential that Governor-elect Ayotte prioritize the health of our communities and, working with her agencies, lead efforts to eliminate these toxic threats.
Moving Forward Together
As Governor-elect Ayotte prepares for her new office, she has an important opportunity to tackle significant challenges facing the health of our communities, our environment, and our economy. The challenges are real, but with leadership, and embracing these priorities with urgency and determination, they can and must be addressed.
Together, we can create a brighter, more sustainable future for New Hampshire.
