Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - more expert testimony on SB-27

Rusty · 04-20-2011, 05:46 AM

Altogether of the 80 people who signed the roll at the House Transportation Committee hearing yesterday, 73 marked themselves opposed to SB-27.

Where has all the support for the Bill gone???? I think the hand writing is on the wall about this Bill!

Below is the article that is in today's LDS:

CONCORD — After nearly six years what can be said for or against speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee has been said and yesterday was said again before the House Transportation Committee during a two-and-a-half hour hearing on Senate Bill 27, which would raise the limit on The Broads to 55 mile per hour.

No stranger to the issue, Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry), who chairs the committee, opened the hearing by announcing that apart from the bill's sponsors, the 50 people seeking to speak would be limited to two minutes. "Keep it civil," he reminded the overflow crowd, "or I will shut you off." Likewise, directing members of the committee to keep their questions relevant and short, he warned "otherwise I'll shut the committee off. Let's hope we can get through this nicely and quickly," he said.

In 2009 the Legislature set limits of 45 mph. in daylight and 25 mph. after dark for two years but last year, after raising the nighttime limit to 30 mph., made them permanent. This year Safe Boaters of New Hampshire (SBONH), formed in opposition to the speed limits, sought to replace them with a standard of "reasonable and prudent," but, at the urging of lawmakers agreed to a bill that would maintain the limits while exempting The Broads, which would be designated a 55 mph. zone.

Last month SB-27 carried the Senate by the narrowest of margins —13 to 11. Senators Jeanie Forrester (R-Meredith) and Jeb Bradley (R) Wolfeboro voted against changing the current law while Jim Forsythe (R-Strafford), the third senator representing the Lakes Region, voted for the bill.

"Good things always happen in Holy Week," Senator Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester), who introduced SB-27, told the committee. He said that the bill kept the speed limits in place except for "a specified area — The Broads. That is the only change." When Representative Lisa Sontsas (R-Nashua) alluded to highway driving and whether a posted limit of 55 mph. amounted to a practical limit of 65 mph., D'Allesandro simply read from the bill.

Speaking against the bill, Forrester recalled that she, together with her parents and brother, was the victim of a boating accident on Lake Huron caused by excessive speed that left her mother and brother with lasting injuries. Moreover, she said that e-mails and letters from individuals and businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry around the lake, were running three-to-one in opposition to any change to the speed limits.

Forrester was echoed by representatives from the Lakes Region, including Alida Millham (R-Gilford), Harry Accornero (R-Laconia) , Elaine Swinford (R-Barnstead), Bob Luther (R-Laconia) and Bill Tobin (R-Sanbornton) also spoke against increasing the speed limit on The Broads.

Jeff Thurston of Thurston's Marina at The Weirs emphasized that "uniformity is important," urging the committee not to "create a zone of frenzied activity," which he cautioned would further stretch the scarce resources of Marine Patrol. He said that exempting The Broads from the 45 mph. speed limit would be "impractical and not enhance safety."

Dick Bouley, a lobbyist representing the Winnipesaukee Family Alliance for Boating Safety (WinnFABS), the organization that from the beginning has led the effort to curb speed on the lake, told the committee that he was "disturbed" that the bill was originally assigned to the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee, which includes three members from the Lakes Region, was referred to the Transportation Committee, where the region is unrepresented. He urged the committee members to pay special attention to lawmakers and residents of the Lakes Region.

Altogether of the 80 people who signed the roll at the hearing, 73 marked themselves opposed to SB-27.

The bill drew its strongest support from SBONH, who have consistently challenged the need for speed limits, frequently citing David Barrett, the director of Marine Patrol, who has said more than once that speed is not a problem on the lake. Likewise, the organization has consistently argued that there is no statistical evidence to support the claims of WinnFABS that excessive speeds have increased the risks of boating on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Scott Verdonck, president of SBONH, insisted that SB-27 represents a compromise by maintaining speed limits on the most heavily travelled parts of the lake while raising the daytime limit just 10 mph. on The Broads where there are no islands and little traffic.

Dick Smith, conservation director of the New Hampshire Bass Federation, said his group saw no need for speed limits, but "reluctantly supported SB-27." He explained that bass fisherman pilot fast boats, designed to get them from one fishing spot to another in the least time to allow the maximum time for fishing. Questioning the wisdom of speed limits, he said that at some times 45 mph. is too fast and at others it is too slow.

Ultimately, said Smith the debate has dragged on for far too too long. "Let's put this to bed," he told the committee. "Let's stop it and let's go fishing."
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04-20-2011, 05:46 AM	#278
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,028 Thanks: 603 Thanked 687 Times in 425 Posts	Altogether of the 80 people who signed the roll at the House Transportation Committee hearing yesterday, 73 marked themselves opposed to SB-27. Where has all the support for the Bill gone???? I think the hand writing is on the wall about this Bill! Below is the article that is in today's LDS: CONCORD — After nearly six years what can be said for or against speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee has been said and yesterday was said again before the House Transportation Committee during a two-and-a-half hour hearing on Senate Bill 27, which would raise the limit on The Broads to 55 mile per hour. No stranger to the issue, Rep. Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry), who chairs the committee, opened the hearing by announcing that apart from the bill's sponsors, the 50 people seeking to speak would be limited to two minutes. "Keep it civil," he reminded the overflow crowd, "or I will shut you off." Likewise, directing members of the committee to keep their questions relevant and short, he warned "otherwise I'll shut the committee off. Let's hope we can get through this nicely and quickly," he said. In 2009 the Legislature set limits of 45 mph. in daylight and 25 mph. after dark for two years but last year, after raising the nighttime limit to 30 mph., made them permanent. This year Safe Boaters of New Hampshire (SBONH), formed in opposition to the speed limits, sought to replace them with a standard of "reasonable and prudent," but, at the urging of lawmakers agreed to a bill that would maintain the limits while exempting The Broads, which would be designated a 55 mph. zone. Last month SB-27 carried the Senate by the narrowest of margins —13 to 11. Senators Jeanie Forrester (R-Meredith) and Jeb Bradley (R) Wolfeboro voted against changing the current law while Jim Forsythe (R-Strafford), the third senator representing the Lakes Region, voted for the bill. "Good things always happen in Holy Week," Senator Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester), who introduced SB-27, told the committee. He said that the bill kept the speed limits in place except for "a specified area — The Broads. That is the only change." When Representative Lisa Sontsas (R-Nashua) alluded to highway driving and whether a posted limit of 55 mph. amounted to a practical limit of 65 mph., D'Allesandro simply read from the bill. Speaking against the bill, Forrester recalled that she, together with her parents and brother, was the victim of a boating accident on Lake Huron caused by excessive speed that left her mother and brother with lasting injuries. Moreover, she said that e-mails and letters from individuals and businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry around the lake, were running three-to-one in opposition to any change to the speed limits. Forrester was echoed by representatives from the Lakes Region, including Alida Millham (R-Gilford), Harry Accornero (R-Laconia) , Elaine Swinford (R-Barnstead), Bob Luther (R-Laconia) and Bill Tobin (R-Sanbornton) also spoke against increasing the speed limit on The Broads. Jeff Thurston of Thurston's Marina at The Weirs emphasized that "uniformity is important," urging the committee not to "create a zone of frenzied activity," which he cautioned would further stretch the scarce resources of Marine Patrol. He said that exempting The Broads from the 45 mph. speed limit would be "impractical and not enhance safety." Dick Bouley, a lobbyist representing the Winnipesaukee Family Alliance for Boating Safety (WinnFABS), the organization that from the beginning has led the effort to curb speed on the lake, told the committee that he was "disturbed" that the bill was originally assigned to the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee, which includes three members from the Lakes Region, was referred to the Transportation Committee, where the region is unrepresented. He urged the committee members to pay special attention to lawmakers and residents of the Lakes Region. Altogether of the 80 people who signed the roll at the hearing, 73 marked themselves opposed to SB-27. The bill drew its strongest support from SBONH, who have consistently challenged the need for speed limits, frequently citing David Barrett, the director of Marine Patrol, who has said more than once that speed is not a problem on the lake. Likewise, the organization has consistently argued that there is no statistical evidence to support the claims of WinnFABS that excessive speeds have increased the risks of boating on Lake Winnipesaukee. Scott Verdonck, president of SBONH, insisted that SB-27 represents a compromise by maintaining speed limits on the most heavily travelled parts of the lake while raising the daytime limit just 10 mph. on The Broads where there are no islands and little traffic. Dick Smith, conservation director of the New Hampshire Bass Federation, said his group saw no need for speed limits, but "reluctantly supported SB-27." He explained that bass fisherman pilot fast boats, designed to get them from one fishing spot to another in the least time to allow the maximum time for fishing. Questioning the wisdom of speed limits, he said that at some times 45 mph. is too fast and at others it is too slow. Ultimately, said Smith the debate has dragged on for far too too long. "Let's put this to bed," he told the committee. "Let's stop it and let's go fishing." .