New Round of Alternative Transportation Grants Announced
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The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has announced a new round of federal funding under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). TAP funds are intended to support transportation projects that benefit non-motorized users such as sidewalks, bicycle and pedestrian paths, and other similar improvements. The minimum project size is $400,000 ($320,000 in federal funds) and the maximum project size is $1,250,000 ($1,000,000 federal). A 20% local match is required. Projects can exceed the $1,250,000 cap if other funding sources are added to the project. Letters of Interest are due by Friday, February 5, 2021. For more information or to access application materials, click Here. For additional assistance, contact Matt Waitkins, NRPC Senior Transportation Planner at mwaitkins@nashuarpc.org or at 417-6570.
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2020 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Volumes Reach New High
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Despite multiple challenges, the volume of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collected during the 2020 season reached record highs, though average event participation remained steady. The Covid-19 Pandemic forced the cancellation of the April, May, and June events. Collection events resumed in August operating under new Covid-19 protocols to protect the safety of staff, contractors and the general public. The August 1, October 3, and November 7 events were held at a new location at a Park & Ride lot at 25 Crown Street in Nashua instead of the Public Works Garage where it had been held for several years. A spring event planned in Milford was rescheduled for August 29. With the rescheduled Milford collection, the 2020 season lost a net of two events to the pandemic.
Overall, a total of 118,529 pounds of hazardous materials were collected in 2020, an increase of 41.5% or 34,737 pounds from the 2019 total of 83,792 pounds. There are several factors that seem to have influenced the high volume of HHW collected in 2020. Anecdotally, it appears that the pandemic has resulted in an increase in home improvements that may have resulted in higher demand for certain potentially hazardous products such as stains or varnishes, while also encouraging people to clean out garages, basements and other areas where HHW had been stored. Home sales have also kept up a strong pace during the pandemic which is always a source of hazardous waste.
The proper disposal of HHW is enormously important to public health and safety as it reduces the release of toxins into the environment and reduces the risk of accidental poisonings in the home. The success of the 2020 season is a testament to the resilience and continued importance of the HHW Program. To read the full 2020 Annual report, click here
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NRPC Launches New Online Transportation Project Viewer
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New! Interactive maps of Transportation Projects planned in the NRPC (MPO) Region are now available online. The maps depict projects included in the state's Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Program, the four-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for federally funded projects, and NRPC's Long-Range Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). Click on MPO Project Viewer to learn more. In addition, NRPC maintains a regional web-based parcel viewer through the MapGeo platform where users can see and explore parcel, road, conserved land, trail, and other datasets. We recently updated this site with the latest parcel owner information from each of our 13 communities. Click Here to view recent updates.
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Mason Completes Master Plan Update
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The Town of Mason recently completed a comprehensive overhaul of its 2007 Master Plan with the assistance of NRPC. A town-wide survey was conducted to inform the planning process, existing chapters were updated and reorganized, and a new Conservation Chapter and Energy Chapter were added. The new plan was adopted at the October Planning Board Meeting.
A copy of the Mason Master Plan can be found Here.
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New Land Use Planner Joins the NRPC Team
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NRPC is Pleased to announce that Caleb Cheng, AICP, has recently joined NRPC's Land Use team. Before coming to NRPC, Caleb worked as a campus planner for UMass Lowell, where he focused on space and facilities planning including evaluating the development potential of surplus campus property and drafting campus master plans. Prior to UMass Lowell, Caleb worked in environmental planning for the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board in California. A resident of Lowell, Caleb currently serves on the Lowell Planning Board. Caleb has a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning from the University of California Davis.
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
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NRPC Transportation Technical Advisory Committee Meeting: Wednesday, 1/13 at noon via Zoom. For log-in information, contact Matt Waitkins at Mattw@nashuarpc.org or call (603) 417-6570.
NRPC Complete Streets Advisory Committee Meeting: Tuesday, 1/19 at 1pm via Zoom. For log-in information, contact Matt Waitkins at Mattw@nashuarpc.org or call (603) 417-6570.
Nashua Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee Meeting: Wednesday, 1/20 at 6 pm via Zoom. For log-in information, email Jaym@nashuarpc.org or call (603) 417-6570.
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