Policy Research Shop Testimony: February 2, 2010

Biomass Boiler Testimony

On February 2, 2010, three Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop students, Brendan McVeigh ’10, Elizabeth Mitchell ’10, and Ian Rorick ’10 testified in Concord before the New Hampshire House Executive Departments and Administration Committee, chaired by Rep. Anne-Marie Irwin and the Science, Technology and Energy Committee, chaired by Rep. Naida Kaen. The joint session served as a review of House Bill 1688 which proposes change to state regulations regarding the installation and operation of boilers and pressure vessels in New Hampshire. The bill considers altering state regulation to allow European biomass boilers to enter the New Hampshire market.

Brendan, Elizabeth and Ian made a twenty-minute presentation to the members of the committees, and responded to questions from committee members. The group, along with Benjamin Beckerman ’10, provided written testimony in the form of a policy brief to the committees. The analysis of boiler regulation is one component of the students’ work to analyze policy options for New Hampshire in its goal to have 25 percent of its energy powered from renewable resources by the year 2025.