House Bill 494 was signed into law on Friday by Gov. Chris Sununu. This bill will compel the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to take action, when the EPA will not, and make the polluters stop toxins from flowing off the Coakley Landfill and polluting the surfacewater, groundwater and drinking water of the seacoast.
New Hampshire Safe Water Alliance Co-Founder and former state Rep. Mindi Messmer issued the following statement:
“I thank the Governor for signing House Bill 494 today. The law will correct a decades-long failure of the Superfund program which has let toxins flow, uncontrolled, polluting our beautiful seacoast waterways, groundwater, animals, fish, and drinking water. This is the only Superfund Site in the New England region where the EPA went back on its original decision to force the polluters to implement a remedy to stop carcinogens from impacting private, public, and commercial water sources. Now this will be corrected.”
New Hampshire Safe Water Alliance Co-Founder and state Rep. Renny Cushing who sponsored the legislation said:
“Finally, there is a framework for action on Coakley Landfill Superfund site to stop the uncontrolled leaking of toxins from the dump. HB 494 will ensure that the clean-up of Coakley Landfill becomes a reality and Granite Staters can soon feel confident that their drinking water is safe, and that their health is prioritized. I thank the Governor for his signature today.”