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This month the Department of Environmental Services is wrapping up a series of public hearings around the Granite State on how best to manage our water resources, a key component of New Hampshire’s natural beauty and a cornerstone of its tourism industry. DES has come up with a new set of recommendations on how to maintain the health of the state’s waters, including improvements to dams, better protection for private wells, and a solution to the nagging problem of storm water runoff. We'll look at the state of our water resources and the plans to protect them.

Guests

• Sarah Pillsbury, administrator of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
• Paul Susca, water resource planner for the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau
• Ted Diers, Coastal Program Manager for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

We'll also hear from

• Judith Spang, Democratic state representative from Strafford and chair of the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee

As the world worries about the new swine flu virus, we’ll talk with the state's epidemiologist about the risks and what the state’s doing to combat them. We'll also look at the "usual" public health threats that come with spring, such as Lyme disease, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and West Nile Virus.

Guests

• Dr. Jose Montero, Chief Epidemiologist at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Even as the President ratchets up diplomatic efforts, the Iranian government still poses a major foreign policy problem. But some say upcoming elections in the Islamic Republic could provide the US with a fresh but fragile opportunity to resolve key differences with the Iranians. We’ll look at our current relationship with Iran and how – if at all – it needs to change.

Guests

• Reza Jalili, associate professor of business and a native of Iran who will give a public talk on US-Iranian relations at noon today at New England College
• Wayne Lesperance, associate professor of political science at New England College; part of his research has focused on Iran

New science suggests inefficient homes, businesses and other buildings contribute more to climate change than transportation or industrial production. We'll look at where New Hampshire's at when it comes to conserving energy in our buildings.

Guests

• Mary Downes, energy efficiency specialist at the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning
• Gil Gelano, manager of marketing support at PSNH; he helps coordinate programs among New Hampshire utilities aimed at improving customers' energy efficiency
• Dick Henry, executive director at the Jordan Institute, an environmental organization focused on green building

We'll also hear from

• Don LaTourette, co-owner of Building Energy Technologies, LLC, working on weatherization and making buildings energy-efficient

Now that the snow has melted, thoughts go to gardening and growing. We’ll talk with Merrill about the state of our farms and new rules and challenges that may arise… from organic regulations, to invasive insects, to the fate of the farmer’s market. We’ll also talk with her about the recession and what part it may play both with her department and the farms she oversees.

Guests

• Lorraine Stuart Merrill, State Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food.