NH splits up DRED resources and economic development agency - Archived

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The New Hampshire budget and Committee of Conference Report contain provisions that have received little notice: the immediate break-up of DRED, the Department of Resources and Economic Development. The split of DRED’s four divisions — economic development, parks and recreation, forests and lands, and travel and tourism — is effective July 1, 2017.

A new Department of Business and Economic Affairs will include economic development and travel and tourism.

A Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will now include the divisions of parks and recreation;  forests and lands; libraries; arts; film and digital media; and historical resources, which shall also be known as the state historic preservation office.

Governor Chris Sununu sought, and legislators approved the split contained in the Committee of Conference Report (HB5 517) and appropriations (contained in HB 144).

[box]Public policy and public lands: FOMS believes the State’s primary responsibility at Mount Sunapee State Park is to serve as guardian of the public interest and to deny efforts that undermine the essential conservation and public recreational values for which the park fundamentally exists to provide. We support the wise and thoughtful use of our public parks and forested lands so as to protect their natural heritage for future generations.[/box]