Weekend Newsletter Template

Good morning, New Hampshire. As we settle into midsummer, here’s a look back at the past week of Bulletin coverage and commentary. Thank you for reading, and for supporting our work. — Dana

By Ethan DeWitt

Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoed the state’s latest 10-year transportation improvement plan, taking a stand against a proposal to double toll costs for drivers without a New Hampshire E-ZPass transponder. The veto has frustrated lawmakers in both parties, who say it will delay key infrastructure priorities, including upgrades to interstates 89 and 93 in Concord and exits 6 and 7 on Interstate 293 in Manchester. And it has ignited a long-simmering debate over the health and long-term future of the state’s highway funding system and who should pay to support it.

By Molly Rains

In 2023, researchers found unprecedented levels of dangerous chemicals in eggs laid by New Hampshire loons. Since then, ongoing testing has affirmed the sheer scope of pollution that New Hampshire wildlife and ecosystems must contend with, Loon Preservation Committee biologist Tiffany Grade said this month. As scientists press on with the research, they are striving to uncover more about what the levels mean for loons and their ecosystem at large and to trace some of the pollutants to their source.

By Ethan DeWitt

The “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” became law this month without President Donald Trump’s signature, after he protested a lack of action on a voting restriction bill. With its passage came prohibitions on corporate home purchases, reduced regulations for manufactured and modular housing, financial incentives for pro-housing zoning changes, and grant funding for innovative repurposed developments. New Hampshire housing advocates say the new law contains a lot to celebrate in a state that, estimates suggest, requires nearly 90,000 new housing units by 2040. Here are some of the notable changes.