Governor Hassan Announces New Director of the Governor's Office of Energy and Planning

Press Release

Continuing her efforts to build a more affordable and more innovative energy future that helps spur economic development, create jobs and protect the environment, Governor Maggie Hassan announced today that Amanda Merrill of Durham will serve as the new Director of the Governor's Office of Energy and Planning (OEP).

A former state Senator and state Representative, Merrill served on the energy & natural resources, public & municipal affairs, and wildlife committees during her two terms in the Senate, and the environment & agriculture and science, technology & energy committees during her 11 years in the House. She also previously served as the Interim Executive Director of the New Hampshire Land & Community Heritage Investment Program and as its board vice-chair, as well as a member of the Durham Planning Board. She was a founding board member of the Granite State Conservation Voters Alliance and has served as a board member of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.

Merrill received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Dartmouth College and her undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire. She will begin her duties at OEP on June 20, 2016.

"Our businesses and families need clean, reliable and affordable energy to continue to grow and prosper, and keeping our clean energy economy moving forward will help create jobs, spur economic development and protect our environment," Governor Hassan said. "Mandy brings a wide range of experience in energy, land use and environmental policy from her years of public service, and she will be a valuable adviser to me as we continue working to build a more affordable and more innovative energy future for our people and businesses."

"Governor Hassan has been a leader in forward-thinking and innovative planning and energy policy," Amanda Merrill said. "I am honored to assist Governor Hassan in her efforts to ensure that we protect our natural resources, continue a policy of smart growth, and maintain New Hampshire as a leader in the clean energy economy of the 21st century," said Merrill.

The Office of Energy and Planning (OEP) is part of the Executive Department within the Office of the Governor. OEP's responsibilities include:

Developing a State Energy Strategy to help plan for a clean, reliable and affordable energy future that protects the state's resources and promotes innovation;
Offering community services such as heating fuel aid, floodplain management assistance, statewide population data information, and the availability of a statewide computerized geographic information system;
Promoting the principles of smart growth at the state, regional, and local levels through the municipal and regional planning assistance program;
Promoting energy efficiency and reducing energy costs by supporting programs for low-income households, state government buildings, businesses and industry, and schools and towns;
Exploring opportunities to expand the use of renewable, domestic energy resources and supporting energy independence;
Promoting land use efficiency through a state comprehensive outdoor recreation plan and the monitoring of the state's investment in conservation land; and
Supporting programs that focus on protecting and increasing the resiliency of the natural resources of critical areas of the state such as the coastal watersheds.

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