In 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that there were nearly one billion scrap tires in stockpiles across the nation. The most recent data of Vermont, reported by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2001, indicates that as many as 200,000 scrap tires are stored in stockpiles. Such stockpiles pose serious…
The benefits provided to communities by urban forestry programs, specifically street tree planting and maintenance, appear to outweigh the costs in all cases studied. As such, street tree planting and management programs may be viable options for communities to consider incorporating if they are currently seeking to revitalize downtown village…
New Hampshire provides substantial Medicaid funding for children in foster care yet often still struggles with identifying and treating foster children's mental and physical health problems. This report highlights three areas of concern regarding the provision of Medicaid services to foster children in the Granite State: ensuring a comprehensive health…
For reasons ranging from environmental health to the stability and long-term viability of petroleum as a fuel source, exploring alternative energy has emerged as an important issue for the state of Vermont. One aspect of this issue is the prospective wide scale use of biodiesel as a replacement for conventional petroleum…
In New Hampshire and throughout the United States, a significant portion of the population is not actively saving for retirement. Almost half of New Hampshire workers ages 21 to 64 are not enrolled in an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. The overall effect of low retirement savings is dramatic: about half…
This report analyzes performance management systems for use within the New Hampshire Department of Safety and its divisions. The first part of our report focuses on umbrella systems for department-wide strategic planning. There are several key components to any successful and useful performance management and measurement system, but these tenets…
In 2004, education expenditures constituted an average of 21.4 percent of state budgets nationwide. As the largest single expenditure for most state governments, public education programs come under scrutiny for their effectiveness and quality and are constantly adapting to fit the needs of constituents as well as federal standards. In…
The purpose of this report is to outline the history of concussion education, management, and prevention, as well as current action and legislation designed to address this problem. The report defines what a concussion is and its prevalence in sports, along with estimates for the cost of concussion treatment. It…
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) has replaced lead as an on the United States to increase engine combustion efficiency and reduce tailpipe emissions. The use of MTBE was expanded after the 1990 Clean Air Acts Amendments (CAA Amendments) both banned the use of lead as a gas additive and established…
New Hampshire and Vermont, like many states, face the challenge of providing affordable, high-quality Medicaid programs while operating under budget constraints. One component of these medical expenses is the cost of caring for the steadily rising proportion of obese citizens. Medicaid costs attributable to obesity in New Hampshire and Vermont…