On the agenda: Rochester Commission Meeting Packet August 21, 2026 — Data Center (Aug 21)

Meeting of the Strafford RPC Commissioners & MPO Policy Committee
Friday, August 21, 2026 9:00 – 10:30 AM
Hybrid Meeting (Conference Rm 1A, SRPC Office & via Teams)
In accordance with RSA 91:A, the Commission requires an in-person quorum. So long as an inperson quorum, Commissioners may participate virtually. Guests may attend the meeting
virtually or at the SRPC Office. All participants, both in-person and virtual, can communicate
contemporaneously.
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26158346669748?p=4xytesfYGFhcig30qO
Meeting ID: 261 583 466 697 48
Passcode: fH7Va7Ph
These instructions have also been provided at www.straffordrpcnh.gov. If anybody is unable to
access the meeting, please email [email protected] or call 603-994-3500
(x115).

Agenda Item

Time

Pre-Meeting Notes

1) Introductions

9:00-9:05

2) Commissioner Roundtable

9:05-9:15

Updates from your community

3) Approve the July 17, 2026 Minutes

9:15-9:20

Enclosed

4) Metropolitan Transportation Plan
Final Draft Presentation
Colin Lentz, Principal Transportation
Planner

9:20-10:00

Refer to enclosed memo

10:00-10:20

Refer to enclosed memo

5) Discussion Items
a) Regional Impact Committee
Matt Towne, Barrington
Commissioner
b) Joint Loss Management Committee
Megan Taylor-Fetter, Office
Coordinator
6) Other Business

10:20-10:25

7) Citizens Forum

10:25-10:30

8) Adjourn

10:30

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a detailed
description of the accommodation you will need along with your contact info. Please make your request as
early as possible; allowing at least 5 days advance notice. Last minute requests will be accepted but may
be impossible to fill. Please call (603) 994-3500 or email [email protected].

STRAFFORD REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867
Barrington ꞁ Brookfield ꞁ Dover ꞁ Durham ꞁ Farmington ꞁ Lee ꞁ Madbury ꞁ Middleton ꞁ Milton ꞁ New Durham
Newmarket ꞁ Northwood ꞁ Nottingham ꞁ Rochester ꞁ Rollinsford ꞁ Somersworth ꞁ Strafford ꞁ Wakefield

Page 2 of 2

RULES OF PROCEDURE
Strafford Regional Planning Commission
Strafford Metropolitan Planning Organization, and
Strafford Economic Development District

Meeting Etiquette
Be present at the scheduled start of the meeting.
Be respectful of the views of others.
Ensure that only one person talks at a time. Raising your hand to be recognized by
the chair or facilitator is good practice.
Do not interrupt others or start talking before someone finishes.
Do not engage in cross talk.
Avoid individual discussions in small groups during the meeting. When one person
speaks, others should listen.
Active participation is encouraged from all members.
When speaking, participants should adhere to topics of discussion directly related to
agenda items.
When speaking, individuals should be brief and concise when speaking.
The Strafford Regional Planning Commission & Metropolitan Planning Organization
holds both public meetings and public hearings.
For public meetings, guests are welcome to observe, but should follow proper
meeting etiquette allowing the meeting to proceed uninterrupted. Members of the
public who wish to be involved and heard should use venues such as Citizen Forum,
Public Hearings, Public Comment Periods, outreach events, seminars, workshops,
listening sessions, etc.

DATE:

August 14, 2026

TO:

SRPC Commissioners

FROM:

Colin Lentz, Principal Transportation Planner
Jen Czysz, Executive Director
Megan Taylor-Fetter, Office Coordinator

RE:

August 21,2026 Agenda Items & Upcoming Meeting Schedule

2026-2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
A draft update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (Metro Plan) has been released
for public comment. Staff will present highlights from the draft plan after which we
hope to have a robust conversation on the draft and hear your input and comments.
The draft plan can be viewed on the SRPC website here:
https://docs.straffordrpcnh.gov/documents/plans/mpo/mtp__2026.pdf
As part of the update, SRPC is rolling out an interactive transportation project database
and viewer: https://straffordrpc.ecointeractive.com/home/
The public comment period for the draft Metro Plan began on August 14, 2026 and will
conclude on September 14. An adoption hearing is scheduled for the September 18
Commission meeting.

Regional Impact Committee Discussion
Matt Towne would like to discuss the 488-acre SELT conservation easement in
Barrington and highlight the positive environmental impact it has had for the
community and surrounding region.
Refer to the SRPC Bylaws for current policies and procedures for the review of
developments of regional impact and the Regional Impact Committee.

Joint Loss Management Committee Discussion
The SRPC Joint Loss Management Committee (JLMC), required under NH RSA 281-A:64
III for employers with 15+ employees, promotes workplace safety through equal
employer and employee representation. The committee meets quarterly, reviews
accident data, conducts safety inspections, supports training, develops safety programs
and procedures, maintains meeting records, and annually reviews the Wellness and
Safety Policy. The current members consist of four staff and one commissioner. We
would welcome any commissioners that would like to join.

STRAFFORD REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867
Barrington ꞁ Brookfield ꞁ Dover ꞁ Durham ꞁ Farmington ꞁ Lee ꞁ Madbury ꞁ Middleton ꞁ Milton ꞁ New Durham
Newmarket ꞁ Northwood ꞁ Nottingham ꞁ Rochester ꞁ Rollinsford ꞁ Somersworth ꞁ Strafford ꞁ Wakefield

Page 2 of 2

Draft Schedule of Upcoming Meetings
(subject to change)
Monthly Meetings: 3rd Friday of the month, 9-10:30 AM, SRPC Office, Conf. Room 1A
Quarterly Field Trips: Thursdays, 3:45-5:30 PM, in Sept., Dec., Feb., and Jun.
Date
Fri. Sept 18, 2026
9-10:30 AM

Location
SRPC

Program
MPO/RPC

Thu. Sept 24,
2026, 3:30-6 PM

Adams
Point,
Durham
SRPC

SRPC

Fri. October 16,
2026
9-10:30 AM

Tentative Agenda Items
• Metro Plan hearing and adoption
• Transportation Improvement Program
Amendment
• Presentation of the Sunrise Lake
Watershed Management Plan
Implementation Project
• Gundalow Great Bay Boat Tour

RPC/EDD

• Presentation of the Somersworth HOP
project and SRPC Housing Efforts

MEETING OF THE SRPC EDD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Friday, July 17, 2026 9:00 – 10:30 AM
Hybrid Meeting (Conference Rm 1A, SRPC Office & via Zoom)
1. Introductions
At 9:00 AM, Chair Paul Rasmussen called the meeting to order and asked for
introductions.
Commissioners present: Paul Rasmussen, Durham; Michael Lehrman, Durham; Mark
Richardson, Somersworth; Matt Towne, Barrington; Joe Boudreau, Rochester; Kate
Buzard, Middleton; Mike Bobinsky, Somersworth; Rick Healy, Rochester; Steve Brown,
Dover; Lindsey Williams, Dover; Katrin Kasper, Lee; Steve Stancel, Wakefield; John Nute,
Milton; Curtis Register, Durham; Don Manter, Northwood; Sarah Wrightsman,
Newmarket; John Mullen, Middleton; Tom Falk, Madbury
Guests present: Stephen Roy, NHDES
Staff: Colin Lentz, Mark Davie, Jen Czysz
Commissioners attending on Teams: Kean McDermott, Dover; John Roth, Brookfield;
Katherine Clarcq, SEDC
Guests attending on Teams: Eric Johnson, ISO-NE; Rubin Flores Marzan, ISO-NE;
Brendan Flaherty, ISO-NE; Matt Monahan, CNHRPC; Johnna McKenna, NHDES; Mike
Miller; Phil Auger, Strafford Planning Board
Staff attending remotely: Lisa Murphy, Lisa Wise, Megan Taylor-Fetter
2. Commissioner Roundtable
Chair P. Rasmussen asked that the commissioner roundtable be tabled to the end of the
meeting if time permits.
3. Approval of Minutes of June 19, 2026
John Nute motioned to approve the minutes of June 19, 2026. Steve Stancel seconded the
motion. The motion passed with all votes in favor. D. Manter, R. Healy, C. Register
abstained.
4. Data Centers Presentation and Discussion

Guest presenters from NH DES and ISO New England (ISO-NE) discussed current policies,
regulations, and water and energy considerations, followed by a question-and-answer
session. Eric Johnson, Executive Director of External Affairs at ISO-NE, presented on

STRAFFORD REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867
Barrington ꞁ Brookfield ꞁ Dover ꞁ Durham ꞁ Farmington ꞁ Lee ꞁ Madbury ꞁ Middleton ꞁ Milton ꞁ New Durham
Newmarket ꞁ Northwood ꞁ Nottingham ꞁ Rochester ꞁ Rollinsford ꞁ Somersworth ꞁ Strafford ꞁ Wakefield

Page 2 of 3

“Planning for Large Loads in New England.” He explained that ISO-NE's role is to operate
the power grid, manage wholesale electricity markets, and plan for future electricity
needs. ISO-NE does not provide retail electricity service, own transmission infrastructure,
make siting decisions, or determine the types of energy resources developed in the
region.
Johnson noted that ISO-NE is closely watching the potential growth of large electricity
users, known as "step loads," such as data centers. Although these large loads are not
currently a major driver of electricity demand in New England, ISO-NE is preparing for
possible future growth by working with transmission owners, engaging with state
policymakers and regulators, and researching ways to better understand the size, timing,
and potential impacts of these developments. He also noted that factors such as policy
decisions, infrastructure availability, and permitting processes will play an important role
in determining how and where large-load projects are developed.
Discussion focused on New England's electricity supply and future demand growth. ISO
New England noted that the region imports about 5% to 10% of its electricity from
Quebec, and a new transmission line has increased import capacity. However, most new
generation added in recent decades has been natural gas-fired.
In response to questions about future demand, E. Johnson said that electrification,
particularly the growth of electric vehicles and heat pumps, is expected to be the largest
driver of electricity demand, with demand projected to increase about 10% over the next
decade and potentially double by 2050. While EV adoption has been slower than initially
projected, significant long-term growth is still expected.
When asked whether data centers could increase water consumption and affect regional
power needs, ISO-NE explained that it evaluates the electricity demand and grid impacts
of large loads but does not assess water use or cooling requirements. Those issues are
addressed through state permitting and regulatory agencies, including NHDES, the New
Hampshire Department of Energy, and the Public Utilities Commission.
Stephen Roy of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
described the permitting and environmental review processes that would apply to
proposed data centers. He explained that large developments must comply with alteration
of terrain permits, which require stormwater management and groundwater infiltration
measures to offset impacts from impervious surfaces. Projects may also be subject to
wetlands and shoreland protection requirements, which aim to minimize impacts on
wetlands, water bodies, habitat, and water quality. In some cases, developers can provide
compensatory mitigation through state programs. Roy noted that environmental
permitting for data centers is highly site-specific, with groundwater, wetlands,
stormwater, and shoreline impacts all key considerations during project review.
The discussion focused on groundwater management, data center impacts, and potential
policy responses. It was noted that while groundwater resources are mapped statewide,

Page 3 of 3

water availability is highly site-specific, requiring large water users to conduct
hydrogeologic studies and testing as part of the permitting process. Permits include
protections such as drought-related withdrawal limits.
5. Citizens Forum
There were no citizens comments.
6. Other Business
There was no other business.
7. Adjournment
Following a motion and a second to adjourn, all members voted in favor, the motion
passed. The meeting adjourned at 10:30am.
Respectfully submitted,

Megan Taylor-Fetter