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Local officials urge seats for Hampton and Rye on Pease Development Authority board, citing harbor, airport impacts
Summary
Sen. Deborah Altschuler and local representatives from Hampton and Rye told the Senate committee SB 183 would add board seats for those towns on the Pease Development Authority (PDA) board so host communities have direct input on port and harbor operations. PDA executive director said the agency is neutral and described the existing Port Advisory
Sen. Deborah Altschuler (District 24) and elected representatives from Hampton and Rye told the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee they support Senate Bill 183, which would add representation for the towns of Hampton and Rye on the Pease Development Authority (PDA) Board of Directors.
Altschuler said the PDA and the Division of Ports and Harbors oversee multiple facilities — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, division-managed harbors and other properties — and that Hampton and Rye host important port facilities that lack direct seats at the PDA board. She said adding seats would increase transparency, improve local communication and provide host communities with expertise the PDA needs when making decisions that affect local economies, the environment and emergency response coordination.
Representatives Chris Munns (Hampton) and Peggy Balboni (Greenland/Rye) said local businesses and harbor users depend on stable planning and communication with PDA. They urged the committee to add seats for the towns so local planning boards, select boards and businesses have a formal channel to engage in development decisions.
Paul Breen, executive director of the Pease Development Authority, described the statute that created the PDA and summarized the Port Advisory Committee, which is an advisory body that meets regularly and includes two Seacoast residents. Breen said the port advisory council digs into technical maritime issues and advises the PDA board, but he also acknowledged that some local officials feel outreach and communication from PDA have been insufficient at times.
Why it matters: The PDA controls or influences land, harbor and airport projects that directly affect coastal towns’ economic activity, land-use decisions and public-safety planning. Proponents argued that host towns should have guaranteed representation on the PDA board to prevent conflicts and improve coordination.
Committee action: The committee took testimony from local officials and the PDA executive director and then closed the hearing. During later committee business members said they wanted more time to study governance and advisory structures and held the bill for further discussion.
Quote in context: “Any decisions involving airport expansion or changes to the harbor infrastructure and management directly affect the Rye community, yet we have no direct representation on the PDA,” Representative Balboni said.
Next steps: Committee members asked staff to examine the PDA statute and advisory council structure and will consider options such as guaranteed board seats or strengthened advisory representation in future committee work.
