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May 14, 2012

Regional Cap-And-Trade Slashed Energy Use By $5 Million

The region’s controversial cap-and-trade system is working–at least as far as grant-funded energy cuts are concerned.  A new report released by UNH-based Carbon Solutions New England found that between the summers of 2010 and 2011, companies cut their emissions by 18,900 metric tons.  As David Brooks reports for the Nashua Telegraph: “Grants from money paid […]

May 10, 2012

Fairpoint Can Keep Penalty Money To Build Up Broadband Coverage

The question of whether to offer customers rebates for bad service or expand broadband access throughout the state is now pretty much for Fairpoint to decide. The telecom company faces $2.8 million in fines related to a series of service problems that cropped-up back in 2009.  Rather than return the fees to customers, Fairpoint asked […]

April 20, 2012

This Week’s Essential StateImpact

Before you prepare to pack up and check out for the weekend, we’ve rounded up the top five posts that caught your collective eye.  From obscure urbanization studies to electricity deregulation and women entrepreneurs, our Essential StateImpact posts make for a particularly motley crew this week. Why Urban States Are More Productive Than Rural Ones […]

April 18, 2012

NH House Mulls Deregulating Phone Service

Fairpoint’s struggles since taking over Verizon’s northern New England land line network in 2007 have been well-documented in the media with varying levels of snark.  A running theme the company’s cited over the years has been competition-stifling state regulations.  Now, SB 48, a bill Fairpoint believes will help remedy the situation, is making its way […]

What A Small Firm’s Challenge To PSNH Could Mean For The Future Of The Electricity Market

More than a decade ago, the New Hampshire legislature partially deregulated its electricity market.  The move was supposed to allow residential customers the chance to buy power from companies other than Public Service of New Hampshire, which dominates the state’s electricity market.  But for a long time, nothing really happened. Now, NHPR’s Sam Evans-Brown reports […]

April 2, 2012

What A Canadian Newspaper Reports About Hydro-Quebec (And Northern Pass)

Looking at day-to-day coverage of Northern Pass, it tends to (unsurprisingly) focus on the New Hampshire perspective.  Will the project provide a much-needed boost to the North Country economy, or just create a spot of temp work?  What will the project do to land values?  Who’s selling their land, who’s holding fast, and why?  What […]

March 30, 2012

This Week’s Essential StateImpact

Happy Friday!  (Or should we say, “Happy Mega Millions Drawing Day?”)  At any rate, as you count down the hours to the end of the workday and the start of the weekend, we’re happy to present you with our weekly round up of economy-flavored brain food: Why The Mega Millions Jackpot Is Extra-Important For New […]

March 26, 2012

Fairpoint Fees Could Go To Customers…Or Back To Fairpoint

Fairpoint Communications customers might get a small sliver cut from their phone bills.  It all depends on an upcoming Public Utilities Commission decision about how, exactly, the company can pay some hefty fees.  As Bob Sanders reports for TheLobbyNH.com, the PUC recently slapped Fairpoint with $2.8 million in “penalties for inadequate service”: “The PUC had […]

March 12, 2012

How Landowners And Towns Are Blocking A New Route For Northern Pass

If you haven’t read the Concord Monitor’s latest installment on efforts to carve a Northern Pass route through the North Country, you need to.  Last year, Northern Pass scrapped its original proposed route after North Country residents mounted serious resistance.  And although the project hasn’t announced a new route, reporter Annmarie Timmins has been patiently […]

February 10, 2012

This Week’s Essential StateImpact

It’s been a busy week here at StateImpact New Hampshire.  Whether it’s looking at utility deregulation, the Dodd-Frank Act, specialty cancer centers or manufacturing in the Granite State, our economic coverage has been rather broad.  Here’s our official roundup of the posts you found most click-worthy. Some Key Arguments For–And Against–Making PSNH Sell Its Generating […]

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