New Hampshire Carbon Credit Impact Report

A report on the impact of carbon credit programs in New Hampshire is due later this year, part of legislation the state passed in 2024 to gauge the effect of putting timberlands in the state in carbon credit programs instead of active management has on state timber revenues. Like many states, New Hampshire has a timber harvest “stumpage value” tax.

The legislation creates a registry of New Hampshire properties enrolled in carbon credit programs and includes date of enrollment, length of enrollment, acreage amount and other information.

Early registry listings cover more than 182,000 acres (that includes more one 141,000 acre property). The law requires landowners or their agents to inform local jurisdictions if they plan to enroll a property in such a program.

The law also directs the New Hampshire Dept. of Revenue Administration to study the issues of potential lost revenue if significant numbers or acreage is enrolled in carbon credit programs—a big part of the report due later this year. According to news reports, companion legislation is being readied for introduction that would ensure jurisdictions can tax carbon credit properties.