NH Solid Waste Working Group - First Meeting Scheduled
This summer, HB 413 was signed into law, which established a NH Solid Waste Working Group to assist the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) with planning for New Hampshire's solid waste future. Reagan Bissonnette, Executive Director, serves as NRRA's representative on the working group. Four NRRA members were also appointed to the group. The working group's first meeting will take place on Friday, October 29 at 9:30 AM at the NHDES Office at 29 Hazen Drive Room 208C Concord, NH 03301. NRRA will provide periodic updates for NRRA's members about the solid waste working group's activities.
Working Group Members
In addition to Reagan Bissonnette serving as NRRA's representative on the group, four NRRA members are members of the group. Municipal members include Brian Patnoe (NRRA board member) from the Town of Lancaster, NH representing rural communities with source-separated recycling, Duncan Watson from the City of Keene, NH representing innovative municipal waste management, and Marc Morgan from the City of Lebanon, NH representing publicly-owned landfills. Associate member Adam Clark from the City of Concord, NH is representing cities with single stream recycling.
| Name | Title | Organization | Representing |
| Reagan Bissonnette | Executive Director | Northeast Resource Recovery Association | Same |
| Howard Pearl | NH State Representative | NH House of Representatives | Environment & Agriculture Committee |
| James Gray | NH State Senator | NH Senate | Energy & Natural Resources Committee |
| Eric Steinhauser | Councilor | NH Waste Management Council | same |
| Steve Poggi | Director of Disposal Operations - New England/New York | Waste Management, Inc. | Privately-Owned Landfills and Materials Recovery Facilities |
| Marc Morgan | Solid Waste Manager | City of Lebanon, NH | Publicly-Owned Landfills |
| Dennis Slocomb | Owner | D.C. Slocomb Company, LLC | Solid Waste Haulers |
| Susannah Smith | Senior Director of Public Affairs | Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast | Companies that reprocess post-consumer waste |
| Adam Clark | Administration Division Manager, General Services | City of Concord, NH | Cities with Single Stream Recycling |
| Josh Whipple | Solid Waste Manager | Town of Swanzey, NH | Rural Communities with Source-Separated Recycling |
| Freda Paris | Manager of Environmental Services | Elliot Hospital | NH Healthcare Industry |
| Lynn Rubinstein | Executive Director | Northeast Recycling Council | same |
| Jim Malley | Professor | University System of NH | Expertise in SW Sustainability |
| Mike Wimsatt | Director, Waste Management Division | NHDES | NHDES Commissioner |
| Greg Leahey | Chief Operating Officer | Resource Waste Services | Construction & Demolition Waste Processors |
| Karen Ebel | NH State Representative | NH House of Representatives | HB 617 Study Committee (2019) |
| Matt Hughes | Senior Environmental Manager | WIN Waste Innovations | Waste-to-Energy Facilities |
| Duncan Watson | Assistant Director of Public Works Department | City of Keene, NH | Innovative Municipal Waste Management |
| Colin Kelly | Vice President of Public Affairs | Schnitzer Steel Industries | Scrap Metal Recyclers |
Working Group Responsibilities
The solid waste working group's responsibilities include the following:
- Assist NHDES in long-range planning for and the development of solutions to the state’s solid waste management challenges.
- Review and make recommendations for changes to the state’s existing solid waste reduction, recycling, and management policies, programs, goals, and initiatives.
- Review and make recommendations regarding the impact of regional solid waste management initiatives, including landfill waste disposal bans, on New Hampshire's solid waste disposal landfill capacity.
- Advise NHDES in the development of the solid waste management plan.
- Review and recommend methods to better provide technical assistance and educational outreach to municipalities, schools, businesses, and the public regarding solid waste reduction, recycling, and management policies.
- Review and recommend ways to better implement the solid waste hierarchy and solid waste reduction goals.
- Review and make recommendations based on the HB 617 study committee report on recycling and solid waste management in New Hampshire.
- Review such other matters as the working group deems necessary and to recommend any related legislation, policy, or rule changes.
The working group will submit an initial report on November 30, 2022 and a final report on November 1, 2026.
UPDATE 11/18/2022: Ben Hoy - Manager of the Walpole Recycling Center, Director of the Alstead-Langson Transfer Station, and NRRA Board Member - has joined the SWWG. Ben replaces Brain Patnoe.
UPDATE 7/31/2023: Josh Whipple, the Solid Waste Manager for the Town of Swanzey Recycling Center and NRRA Board Member has joined the SWWG. Josh replaces Ben Hoy.