Section 146-G:4 Fund Established.
I. There is hereby established the gasoline remediation and elimination of ethers fund which shall be administered by the board. This nonlapsing, revolving fund shall be used to pay the costs to implement the provisions of this chapter which include, but are not limited to, the salaries and expenses of personnel, as approved by the fiscal committee, to the extent that such salaries and expenses are incurred in implementing the provisions of this chapter, testing and monitoring activities, and other costs of treatment or removal or corrective measures deemed necessary by the board as a result of an actual or potential discharge of gasoline ethers into or onto the surface water or groundwater of the state. Moneys from the fund shall be used to mitigate the adverse affects of gasoline ether discharges including, but not limited to, provision of emergency water supplies to persons affected by such pollution, and, where necessary as determined by the board, the establishment of an acceptable source of potable water to injured parties. Not more than $150,000 shall be allocated annually for research programs dedicated to the development and improvement of preventive and cleanup measures concerning such gasoline ether discharges. Income derived from the fund shall only be used for those administrative costs needed to implement this chapter.
II. Moneys in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the board under this chapter shall be deposited with the state treasurer to the credit of the fund and shall be invested as provided by law. Interest received on such investment shall also be credited to the fund. If the fund's balance becomes greater than $2,500,000, the transfer of moneys into the fund as established in RSA 146-D:3, VI(b) shall be discontinued and only re-established when the fund's balance is below $1,000,000. Those fees normally transferred to the gasoline remediation and elimination of ethers fund shall accumulate instead in the oil discharge and disposal cleanup fund.
III. All moneys paid to the state to reimburse costs paid out of the gasoline remediation and elimination of ethers fund by any person strictly liable to the state under RSA 146-A:3-a shall be placed in the gasoline remediation and elimination of ethers fund.
Source. 2001, 293:10, eff. July 1, 2001. 2008, 249:2, eff. July 1, 2008.