Stepp re-nominated
According to a press release, Lindsey Stepp of Holderness was re-nominated by Gov. Chris Sununu and was confirmed by the New Hampshire Executive Council on Wednesday, Aug. 7, to continue serving as Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (NHDRA).
Stepp is the NHDRA’s first female Commissioner and she began her tenure as Commissioner in December 2017 after previously serving as Assistant Commissioner for nearly two years. Her new four-year term runs through Sept. 1, 2028.
In her role as Commissioner, Stepp leads the state’s tax agency, which is responsible for collecting in excess of $2.7 billion in annual revenue and ensuring equity in the $4.5 billion of property taxes collected by New Hampshire’s 234 municipalities; and directs a staff of more than 150 professionals that are charged with fairly and efficiently collecting taxes from the state’s citizens, businesses, utilities and hospitals, according to the release.
The marquee achievement under Stepp’s leadership to date has been the implementation of the Revenue Information Management System (RIMS) and the Granite Tax Connect (GTC) online user portal, which together modernized NHDRA’s entire information system and transformed the way New Hampshire taxpayers and tax preparers file and pay taxes through automation, integration and electronic filing.
Fire foam retrieval
According to a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) in partnership with the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal has launched a statewide initiative to destroy hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foam.
During an event at the New Hampshire Fire Academy’s Aircraft Rescue Training Facility in Concord, NHDES Commissioner Bob Scott announced details of the new Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Take Back Program. AFFF is primarily used by fire departments to smother flammable liquid fires. Its high concentrations of PFAS compounds resist typical environmental degradation processes and cause long-term contamination of water, soil and air, according to the release.
The ban on the use of these “legacy foams” is possible because there are now PFAS-free foam alternatives available.
NHDES has contracted with Revive Environmental Technology to administer the collection and destruction of AFFF in the state. Following collection of the foam, Revive will consolidate the containers and ship them to its facility in Columbus, Ohio, where the foam will be treated with Revive’s PFAS Annihilator technology, originally developed by Battelle, which uses supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) to destroy the PFAS chemicals without generating harmful PFAS byproducts or transferring the PFAS elsewhere in the process.
The FAA doesn’t currently require airports like Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to transition to the new foam, but the airport is taking the initiative to switch over now in order to be a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly airport, according to the release.
New Hampshire’s AFFF Take Back Program is open to all New Hampshire fire departments, local governments, and government-owned airports. See des.nh.gov.
Ocean of hot sauce
According to a press release, the third annual New England Hot Sauce Fest, presented by The Spicy Shark on Saturday, July 27, at Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton, raised $17,942 for two Seacoast organizations dedicated to preserving ocean ecosystems, the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation and Seacoast Science Center.
In a statement, Jen Kennedy, Executive Director of Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, a Portsmouth-based nonprofit, said, “We’re so grateful to have been a part of this hugely successful event. We look forward to using the funds to expand our research on marine life and ensure a healthier ocean.”
RIP Bald Eagle
The New Hampshire Audubon Society (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, 224-9909, nhaudubon.org) announced on its website on Aug. 6 that its long-time ambassador bald eagle has died. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our cherished ambassador Bald Eagle,” the post read. “He was 36 years old and had been a vital part of our conservation and education programs for 25 years.” The bald eagle came to NH Audubon in 1999. He was found injured in upstate New York, which led to his left wing being amputated at the elbow. A metal band on his left leg “identified him as a nestling from Ontario, Canada, in 1988,” NH Audubon wrote. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website (fws.gov), bald eagles generally live 15 to 25 years in the wild.
Correction
In the Aug. 15 issue of the Hippo, a Q&A on page 6 with Kyle Dimick incorrectly described the injuries he suffered during a ski trip that led him to his invention. He had a concussion, as well as other injuries listed in the story, but not, as was initially stated in a press release about Dimick, a traumatic brain injury.
Go for a beginner wild mushroom walk at Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center in Laconia (928 White Oaks Road) on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. Led by experts from the New Hampshire Mushroom Co., this walk will take you along the farm’s scenic trails to search for, collect, identify and become familiar with different mushrooms. This event is for foragers 16 and older. $20 for members and $35 for nonmembers. Visit prescottfarm.org.
Tickets are on sale now for the NH Highland Games & Festival Sept. 20 through Sept. 22 at Loon Mountain in Lincoln. Special ticketed events at the festival include a whiskey tasting, a Cape Breton dinner and concert, Highland Brews & Bites and a Scotch Ale competition. See nhscot.org.
Talking Heads tribute act Start Making Sense will perform at The Range Live Music and Concert Venue in Mason (96 Old Turnpike Road, 878-1324, therangemason.com) on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $39 in advance, or $45 on the day of the show.
