requiring a landfill permit applicant to submit a report listing potential harms and benefits of the project.

HB 215 requires landfill permit applicants (for new sites or expansions) to submit a report detailing both potential harms (like pollution, traffic, or property value impacts) and benefits (such as meeting New Hampshire's waste capacity needs). The Department of Environmental Services must then determine if the landfill provides a "net public benefit" based on specific criteria, including whether it addresses state waste capacity shortages and aligns with state waste management goals. Applicants bear the cost of an independent third-party assessment to evaluate harms. This bill adds a new requirement for applicants to prove net public benefit before permits are issued, focusing on concrete impacts rather than general claims.