Brookfield board adopts temporary permit process to meet RSA 155‑E excavation filing deadline

The Brookfield Planning Board voted to create a simplified, town-generated Intent to Excavate form and issue temporary permits for the town’s two gravel pits to meet state RSA 155‑E filing requirements. The motion, offered by Chair Ed Ingalls and seconded by Mark Lofgren, passed 4–0.

Road Agent Chris Kinville told the board that state inspector Noah Hoffman now requires fully completed “Intent to Excavate” forms for the Governor’s Road and Moose Mountain Road pits before the April 1, 2026–March 31, 2027 cycle. "State inspector Noah Hoffman now requires fully completed 'Intent to Excavate' forms for the towns two existing gravel pits," Kinville reported, saying the forms previously had lines left incomplete because the town had not maintained a formal local 155‑E permitting process.

Board members discussed whether the pits are grandfathered due to continuous operation prior to 1979, the limits of state versus local permitting, and the substantial submission requirements for full excavation and reclamation plans (topography, engineering studies and similar materials). The board determined that the minimal 155‑E:2D report (location, start date, limits of expansion, and estimates of excavated and remaining material) could reasonably be completed within the one‑year notice window.

In a motion recorded in the minutes, Ingalls moved "to create a form on town letterhead requesting name/address and 155‑E:2D items per regulations, waive other application items (excavation/reclamation plans) for 2026–27 only, and issue temporary permits accordingly." Lofgren seconded and the motion carried with votes recorded as Ingalls – Yes; Goldberg – Absent; Lofgren – Yes; Berry – Absent; Gage – Absent; Zacher – Yes; Faucette – Yes (4‑0).

The board said the simplified form will be hand-delivered, carry a town-generated permit number, and include only basic owner/operator contact information plus the 155‑E:2D items; examples from neighboring towns were reviewed as references. Chair Ingalls was assigned to finalize the form and letter so temporary permits can be issued before the April 1 cycle begins.

The board framed the step as a one-year, stopgap measure to avoid operational shutdowns while preserving the option to require fuller excavation and reclamation plans in future cycles. The board did not adopt permanent changes to excavation permitting at this meeting; the waiver applies only for the 2026–27 cycle.