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Senate votes 16-7 to table proposed marine habitat fee after heated debate
Summary
The Senate voted 16-7 to deem Senate Bill 159 inexpedient to legislate, blocking a proposal to authorize a new marine habitat fee for saltwater habitat work. Proponents said the small fee would help leverage federal funds for habitat restoration; opponents argued it would impose another recreational cost and was poorly timed.
The New Hampshire Senate voted 16-7 to adopt a motion of "inexpedient to legislate" on Senate Bill 159, a proposal to authorize a marine habitat fee and let the director of Fish and Game set the fee level.
Supporters, led on the floor by Senator Waters, said the fee would allow the Fish and Game Department to acquire and restore coastal and marine habitat and to leverage federal matching dollars. Waters said the measure was meant to mirror existing freshwater habitat fees and was expected to be a small user charge: "It's about, $2.50 ... most likely as well," and that without such a fee "we can't do this kind of work." He described regional ecological pressures — warming Gulf of Maine waters and increased freshwater runoff in the Great Bay — as drivers for new habitat investments.
Opponents, including Senator Lang and the majority of the committee on ways and means, argued the fee could discourage saltwater recreational activity and that now was not the right time to add costs to users. Senator Murphy, reporting the committee recommendation, moved the bill be declared inexpedient to legislate; the motion carried after a roll-call vote.
The debate included testimony and committee discussion about Fish and Game's funding structure and the department's reliance on user fees rather than general funds. Senator Rosenwald noted the department's limited ability to self-fund under current fees and warned that without additional revenue the agency could face staff cuts and reduced programs.
Roll-call tally: yes 16, no 7. The transcript identifies a roll-call sequence with named senators; the clerk recorded the final result as "The motion of inexpedient passes 16 to 7." No further action was taken on SB 159 during this session.
