Ask Your Representatives to Vote No On HB 1603-FN
🚨 URGENT: House Vote on February 19th 🚨
Read New Hampshire Turtle Rescue's letter of opposition to HB 1603-FN here.
Turtles and all endangered wildlife in New Hampshire are depending on YOU to take action NOW. Read our article to learn how to contact your representatives and make a difference for New Hampshire's wildlife.
This extremely dangerous bill, HB 1603-FN, would strip away critical protections for endangered and threatened species in our state while costing taxpayers millions of dollars. It narrowly passed out of committee, but we still have a chance to stop it before it becomes law. Your voice can make the difference in protecting New Hampshire's wildlife.
We need to make you aware of the most dangerous bill to endangered species we've ever seen in New Hampshire,HB-1603-FN. This bill narrowly passed the House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee, and is scheduled for a full vote on the House floor in a matter of days, which means YOUR voice can still make the difference in stopping this devastating legislation.
4 out of 7 native New Hampshire turtle species are currently listed as endangered or threatened, and this bill would put them at even greater risk. It also threatens many other species that are already struggling to survive, including loons, bats, Canada lynx, and more. If we want to protect endangered and threatened species in New Hampshire, we must do everything we can to prevent this bill from passing.
Why This Bill is Dangerous
- Strips away critical protections for endangered and threatened species.
- Allows developers to ignore wildlife that needs protection.
- Taxpayers can expect to foot the bill for MILLIONS of dollars in costs.
- Incentivizes developers to conceal or turn a blind eye to species survival and ecosystem health.
- For species with federal protection, it could result in federal enforcement if NH fails to meet endangered species requirements.
- Increase delays in environmental reviews and costs for landowners.
- Ambiguity in the language could lead to additional misinterpretation and misuse.
This bill would invalidate the state’s database of endangered and protected species, which is used to help determine which species are in need of protection and the habitats they rely on. During the intitial stages of development, this database is used to determine if NH Fish and Game will review the project and make recommendations which can help prevent harm to any endangered species in the area before it happens.
Environmental reviews for endangered species are only performed when the database shows the presence of that species. These simple recommendations can include adjusting the timeline of the project to avoid critical breeding seasons, or implementing protective measures such as fencing to minimize harm - a small bit of protection that can go a long way to protecting all wildlife, especially those most vulnerable.
If passed, this bill requires NH Fish & Game Exective Director to establish new procedures to verify the accuracy of data, attempting to create a high burden of proof for identifying species that need protection, and invalidating existing data.It also would require written landowner permission, meaning that a single landowner has the discretion to decide whether an endangered species is protected on their land or not.Do you want developers and landowners with financial incentive to have the power to decide whether endangered species are protected or not?
🎯 Take Action NOW
1. Contact Your State Representatives
Find your representatives at: NH House Member Directory
Call AND email for maximum impact!
2. Sample Message
"I urge you to vote NO on HB 1603-FN. This bill will cost millions in taxpayer dollars, and put New Hampshire's endangered species at greater risk. Please protect our wildlife and our taxpayers by voting NO on HB 1603."
3. Share This Page
Spread the word on social media and ask friends and family to contact their representatives too.
We are NOT alone in our opposition to this bill. Major conservation organizations across the state are united in opposing this harmful piece of legislation that will devastate New Hampshire's nature and wildlife. NH Fish and Game Commission has opposed the bill as amended on numerous grounds. Despite strong arguments against this bill, it still passed out of committee by a narrow margin.
Other New Hampshire organizations who also oppose this bill include:
- NH Forest Society
- The Nature Conservancy
- Sierra Club
- Loon Preservation Committee
- NH Rivers Council
- New Hampshire Audubon
- Connecticut River Conservancy
There's also been a lack of transparency; the amendment was proposed the same day as the public hearing but was not made public until after the hearing. This bill was rushed through committee despite this, by a very narrow 8 to 7 vote. Now we have a very short window to express our opposition before it's voted on. You can read amended bill here.
The House meets on February 19th, 2026. We have HOURS, not weeks, to stop this bill. Every phone call, every email, every voice matters.
Every Call Matters. Every Email Counts.
House Vote: February 19th, 2026
Please support New Hampshire's wildlife when they need us most.
Our native wildlife cannot speak for themselves. Turtles, loons, bats, Canada lynx and many more are counting on us to be their voice in the legislature.
YOU are their voice.
Read New Hampshire Turtle Rescue's letter of opposition here:
