CONCORD, NH – Gov. Maggie Hassan issued the following statement June 29 after signing SB 88, establishing a committee to study public-private partnerships for intermodal transportation:
“A modern, safe transportation infrastructure is critical to the success of our people and businesses, and commuter rail from Boston to Nashua and Manchester is an important part of our efforts to help keep more young people in New Hampshire and ensure that our people and businesses have the full range of modern transportation options that they need. Finding a consensus way forward to make commuter rail a reality will require buy-in from local communities, the federal government and Massachusetts, as well as robust public-private partnerships. Business leaders in southern New Hampshire have identified commuter rail as critical to their future economic growth, and I know that we can work together to make commuter rail a reality.
“Though I am disappointed that the legislature’s capital budget did not include the funding that I proposed for the environmental and engineering work that this vital project requires, I appreciate their efforts on building the innovative public-private partnerships that we are known for in New Hampshire and that are critical to moving commuter rail forward. I thank Senator (Bette) Lasky and legislators from both parties who supported this legislation, and I am proud to sign this bill into law.”
The bill calls for the committee to consist of two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, and three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, with a report due on or before Jan. 1, 2016. They are tasked with studying the possibilities and propose legislation for forming public-private partnerships for intermodal transportation.
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