Outdoor recreation fuels billions in economic activity in New Hampshire, and environmental advocates say the Senate race could shape the state’s climate future.
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund is endorsing US Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire’s 2026 Senate race, spotlighting his climate and clean energy credentials as a stark contrast to likely Republican challengers.
LCV Action Fund Vice President Craig Auster praised Pappas’s advocacy in the US House for safeguarding both public health and the environment, while state director Rob Werner emphasized Pappas’s leadership on issues like PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation, clean energy investment, and opposition to offshore drilling.
“During his time in Congress, Representative Chris Pappas has had a proven track record fighting for people and protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said Werner. “As we continue to experience the impacts of extreme weather, the climate crisis, and pollution across New Hampshire, we need strong leaders to represent our communities in the US Senate, and we’re proud to support Representative Pappas’ campaign.”
Holding a 97% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard, Pappas said he was “grateful” for the endorsement and vowed to continue defending New Hampshire’s lakes, forests, and coastline from corporate polluters while boosting sustainability for future generations.
New Hampshire’s economy is closely tied to environmental concerns.
Outdoor recreation alone contributed approximately $3.9 billion, or 3.4% of the state’s GDP, ranking the Granite State 8th nationally in outdoor rec as a share of the economy. That sector supports about 32,000 jobs and $1.7 billion in wages, according to state economic data. Clean air, water, and forests also sustain tourism, agriculture, and small businesses statewide. Advocates say environmental degradation, whether from climate change, pollution, or overdevelopment would directly threaten these economic pillars.
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Public sentiment mirrors that economic reality. A January 2024 Granite State Poll found that a strong majority of Granite Staters believe reducing air pollution to address climate change should be a “very high” or “high” priority.
The endorsement further sharpens the contrast with Pappas’s Republican opponents.
Former Massachusetts US Sen. Scott Brown, now running in New Hampshire, once commended by his state’s environmental groups for state-level positions, has shifted right on national climate issues; opposing oil subsidy reforms, voting against stricter fuel standards, and casting doubt on climate science. His LCV rating dropped to 38%, and he earned a zero lifetime score on Massachusetts’s environmental scorecard.
GOP State Sen. Dan Innis meanwhile has denounced carbon credit subsidies — programs that incentivize companies for reducing pollution — as “green energy scams”.
