A LQUARTERLY A PUBLICATION K OF ENH LAKES S – Volume I XXXI, D No. 4, WinterE 2021 Lake Advocacy in 2021! by Michelle Davis, Advocacy Program Coordinator, NH LAKES It’s Advocacy Season! Although in popularity. We’re proud of the work beforehand on talking points, logistics, you’re likely still experiencing some we’re doing and of the leadership role and strategy. Reach out to me anytime political fatigue, the New Hampshire we’re able to take in this arena. at [email protected]. legislative session is a perfect time for you to get involved in the lawmaking This session we are supporting two We need your support this year more process. Helping out at the state level pieces of legislation related to wake than ever! Things will surely look is a great place for you to make (ballast) boats. The first comes out of different this legislative session, and meaningful change and ensure clean consensus recommendations of the we don’t yet know how the session and healthy lakes. Wake (ballast) Boat Study will proceed. You can stay informed on Commission that concluded in June our progress and respond to our calls We’ve been busy! I started as 2020 and adds the activity of wake to action by signing up for our NH LAKES’ Advocacy Program surfing to existing safety regulations. Advocacy Alert e-newsletter at Coordinator this past September and The second piece of legislation defines nhlakes.org/e-news. We’ll need you to really hit the water paddling, so to wake (ballast) boats in statute based be ready to call, email, and write your speak! Since your last update, on their unique design. A wave-action legislators and testify at hearings in NH LAKES has continued to advocate research study will provide data soon support or opposition to certain bills for clean and healthy lakes in study in the New Year that will indicate when the time comes. commissions related to aquatic distances and water depths that wake invasive species, shoreland septic (ballast) boat waves need to travel systems, and docks. Each commission before their wave energy is reduced to submitted a summary report to the that of smaller waves. We recognize legislature. Due to interruptions that the issue of wake (ballast) boats related to the pandemic, some study weighs heavily on many of your minds commissions are considering seeking and, because of this, we are taking an extensions to gather more information, intentional and measured approach in strategize, and seek consensus order to produce reasoned and recommendations. science-based recommendations. Last fall was all about coalition Here’s where you come in. NH LAKES building and collaborating. has a focused but increasingly NH LAKES has been working with important legislative agenda for the interested organizations and 2021 legislative session. Your individuals, like you, across New legislators will need to hear from you Hampshire and nationwide to share and, whether you are a registered knowledge about the impacts of wake voter, property owner, or visitor, your (ballast) boats and to shape our voice truly matters and needs to be strategic legislative agenda. Concerns heard! If you’re interested in getting about the impacts of wake boats are involved in the legislative process, I on the rise everywhere as they surge would be happy to coach you The New Hampshire State House in winter. Working for clean and healthy lakes LAKESIDE / WINTER 2021 NH LAKES Lakeside published quarterly by From the President… NH LAKES 17 Chenell Drive, Suite One Concord, NH 03301 NH LAKES and conference and networking event, 603.226.0299 the lakes of moving the entire program, complete nhlakes.org [email protected] New with sponsors and presenters, back at Hampshire are least a year. Then, we began offering Officers here for you— weekly evening webinars on various Bruce Freeman (Strafford) Chair and were there lake topics. We held 13 webinars over John Edie (Meredith) for you the course of the summer months. Vice Chair throughout Starting in September, we went to a Robert W. Reed (Chichester) 2020. And, you monthly webinar on the first Treasurer John-Michael (JM) Girald (Rye) have been here for us and for our Wednesday evening of each month— Secretary lakes. I have a hard time putting into hopefully you have enjoyed one or Kim Godfrey (Holderness) words just how grateful we are for more of them. At-Large your support of clean and healthy Stuart Lord (Silver Lake) In May, the Lake Host Courtesy Boat At-Large lakes, but I will try—Thank You. We came through a difficult year together, Inspection Program was launched while our lakes were even busier and through online training and new, safe Board of Directors more threatened than ever. protocols for distributing materials Susan R. Goodwin (Wolfeboro) were implemented. All of our 300 Lake Shirley Green (Enfield) Breckie Hayes-Snow (Wolfeboro/Concord) When the pandemic hit in March, Host employees were hired through a Andre A. Hunter (Newbury) requiring us to physically distance new online ‘onboarding’ system. In Chris Hussey (Windham) ourselves from one another, July, we kicked off the second year of Jim Lovell (Ossipee) NH LAKES responded immediately. our LakeSmart Lake-Friendly Living Bradford W. Melson (Gilford) Roger F. Murray, III (Wolfeboro) Our Vice President, Andrea Program—by summer’s end, we had Robert W. Reed (Chichester) LaMoreaux, and I were functioning as performed almost as many site Susan D. Reed (Hampstead) co-executives, with my primary roles assessments as we did in 2019 Robert W. Shaw, Jr. (Moultonborough) being organizational strategy, (about 70!). Robert N. Snelling (Holderness) Elaine Warshell (Moultonborough) advocacy, and external relationships. Andrea directs all of our operations Your support for clean and healthy Honorary Directors and programs, which she performs in lakes during 2020 was unflinching and Joseph Farrelly (Concord) a superior way, possessing an simply amazing. Thank you for being Anne Lovett (Holderness) extraordinary mind and ability for part of our growing community of Sidney Lovett (Holderness) detailed planning and communication. people who care for our lakes. I look Staff Together, with the support of the forward to working with you in 2021— Tom O’Brien NH LAKES Board, and an amazing there’s so much more to be done. President and Policy Advocate team of professional staff, we Andrea LaMoreaux On behalf of New Hampshire’s lakes, responded seamlessly to the Vice President of Programs and Operations Tom O’Brien, President Martha Lovejoy pandemic. Director of Finance and Development Krystal Costa Balanoff In addition to positioning NH LAKES Conservation Program Coordinator staff to work from home while still Leave a Legacy Michelle Davis functioning as if we were all in the Make a gift to NH LAKES in your will Advocacy Program Coordinator Soren Denlinger office, we also made some significant to ensure the lakes we love stay Business and Development Assistant changes to pivot our programs. We clean and healthy. Simply share this Erin Graichen postponed our annual Lakes Congress sentence with your attorney or Membership Coordinator financial planner: Erin Mastine Outreach Program Coordinator I bequeath $___ or ___% of my Jessica Sayers Conservation Program Assistant estate to: New Hampshire Lakes Association, Inc., 17 Chenell Drive, Lakeside Printing Suite One, Concord, NH 03301. Speedy Printing Concord, NH Our tax identification number is 22-2668396. If you have chosen to Lakeside Layout NH LAKES operations are funded in part Tracey George, Speedy Printing include NH LAKES in your estate Concord, NH by a grant from the New Hampshire plans, please let us know. Thank you! Charitable Foundation. 2 Working for clean and healthy lakes NH LAKES LAKESIDE / WINTER 2021 You Spoke, We Listened! The annual Legislative Advocacy Survey results are in! Every year, NH LAKES surveys our members and this year, we heard from 140 of you. If you took the time to share your opinions about our advocacy work, thank you for your time and thoughtfulness. Your responses to the legislative advocacy survey help inform and support our work at the State House. Access to our annual surveys is one of the major benefits to NH LAKES’ membership, and one of the best ways to share your interests and concerns with our legislators. NH LAKS Member Advocacy Priorities The results to the 2021 Legislative Advocacy Survey revealed an overwhelming support for 100 s t continuing NH LAKES’ advocacy work on topics n e 80 including aquatic invasive species, the d n o Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act, p 60 s shoreland septic systems, docks, and wake Re f 40 o (ballast) boats. t n e c 20 r To stay updated on our legislative work in Pe 0 2021, sign up for our periodic e-newsletter, Aquatic Invasive Shoreland Water Shoreland Septic Docks On-Water Advocacy Alert, at nhlakes.org. Keep an eye Species Quality Protection Systems Recreation Act out in your inbox for the 2021 Municipal & Advocacy Priorities Local Advocacy Survey! This spring, we’ll report on the results of our municipal advocacy Important Not Important Unsure survey in Lakeside. Explore Lakes with NH LAKES We’re continuing our monthly webinar series throughout the spring! Make sure to tune in to these free webinars to learn about our lakes throughout the seasons, how wildlife survives changing temperatures, how our lakes are adapting to the changing climate, and more! Our attendees are talking! Will you be the next? “Fantastic program!!! As a retired forester, I thought I was knowledgeable in these subjects. I was learning something every minute.” “I’m a new Selectman in my town and wanted to learn more about lakes. I made sure to tune in each week or watch the recording—I’ve learned a lot.” “The webinars are so informative and friendly! The presenters have been terrific.