Priority Climate Action Plan

NHDES’ first deliverable required by EPA’s CPRG Planning funding was a Priority Climate Action Plan, a narrative report submitted March 1, 2024, that included a focused list of near-term, high-priority, implementation-ready measures to reduce GHG pollution and an analysis of GHG emissions reductions that would be achieved if the measures are implemented. The PCAP could focus on a specific sector or selected sectors, and did not need to comprehensively address all sources of GHG emissions and sinks in New Hampshire.  

Required PCAP Components 

• GHG inventory. 
• Quantified GHG reduction measures. 
• Low-income and disadvantaged benefits analysis. 
• A review of authority to implement. 

NHDES’ PCAP Work  

In the initial planning phase, NHDES used awarded funds from EPA to develop the State of New Hampshire Priority Climate Action Plan. NHDES led the development of the PCAP with the support of outside experts who were funded, in part, by the CPRG planning grant. NHDES’ drafting of the PCAP began with a review of New Hampshire’s 2009 Climate Action Plan, with an eye toward identifying priorities to carry forward, areas where there are opportunities for change and improvement, and potential gaps. NHDES engaged numerous stakeholders and received input from hundreds of citizens regarding the content of the GHG reduction measures in the PCAP. The PCAP measures were based on this public input as well as available data for emissions of GHGs and associated co-pollutants. NHDES produced a state-level GHG emissions inventory using EPA’s State Inventory Tool to evaluate the progress of and continued opportunities for actions identified in the 2009 Plan. NHDES also evaluated, among other things, benefits of potential measures to LIDACs; consistency with New Hampshire Department of Energy’s New Hampshire 10-Year State Energy Strategy; and alignment with existing and proposed climate strategies and plans in the state.  NHDES utilized several models, tools and data from variety of sources for this evaluation. 

NHDES submitted the PCAP to EPA on March 1, 2024, which was EPA’s required deadline. Meeting the deadline was a necessary prerequisite to allow NHDES and state municipalities to compete for $4.3 billion in Implementation Grant funds; applications submitted to EPA on April 1, 2024 (see Implementation Grant tab).

Past Engagement Events 

October 2023 – February 2024:  NHDES and its engagement partner NH Listens, at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School for Public Policy, conducted the first round of community engagement activities to help guide NHDES’ development of the PCAP. The activities helped NHDES identify and prioritize GHG reduction measures, potential barriers to implementing the measures, and partners for future engagement and implementation.  

In-Person Events

February 12, 2024 - Concord

February 1, 2024 - Manchester

January 31, 2024 - Berlin

January 25, 2024 - Winchester & Claremont

January 18, 2024 - Nashua

January 17, 2024 - Hampton

Online Events

February 8, 2024 - Cross-Stakeholder Conversation #3

January 11, 2024 - Cross-Stakeholder Conversation #2

November 30, 2023 - Cross-Stakeholder Conversation #1

January 24, 2024 - Statewide Community Conversation #3

January 9, 2024 - Statewide Community Conversation #2

December 6, 2023 - Statewide Community Conversation #1

Updates on the PCAP and Implementation Grant Applications 

June 5 and 6, 2024: NHDES and NH Listens hosted online sessions to provide updates about the State of New Hampshire Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) and implementation grant applications that were submitted to EPA on March 1, 2024 and April 1, 2024, respectively. NHDES discussed the priority GHG reduction measures of the PCAP, potential implementation grants, and continued community engagement to inform NHDES’ development of the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).