What is the Shoreland Protection Act, and where can I find information about it?
The Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act is New Hampshire’s primary statute governing development of the state’s shorelands — effectively a 250-foot buffer that encloses the shores of most of the state’s public waters. Within this zone, the CSPA defines a number of sub-zones, from 150 feet to 25 feet, each increasingly restricted in the activities that occur there. In some cases, those activities require permits. You can download a one-page summary from this site. For the complete statute, as well as the administrative rules that govern the law’s enforcement, see the Department of Environmental Services Web site.
