HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3959        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2140

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to reporting on health effects of particulate matter..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1: The following words and phrases as used in this section shall have the following meanings:-

“particulate matter” shall mean a broad class of chemically and physically diverse substances that exist as discrete particles in air

“fine particulate matter” shall mean particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter

“ultrafine particulate matter”  shall mean particulate matter less than or equal to .1 micrometers in diameter (.1 micrometers is equivalent to 100 nanometers)

SECTION 2: The center for environmental health of the department of public health shall conduct a comprehensive study of data on the health effects of particulate air pollution from surface transportation. The study shall focus on understanding the health impacts from fine and ultrafine particulate matter upon populations that are located within 500 feet of any roadway with 50,000 or more motor vehicle trips per day, or any rail line regularly used by diesel locomotives; provided further, that the study may include, but not be limited to, examining respiratory and cardiovascular disease and cancer incidence that may be affected by exposure to surface transportation-related particles. The following departments and agencies of the commonwealth shall provide information to the center for environmental health of the department of public health relevant to this study: the department of environmental protection, the executive office of transportation, and the central transportation planning staff of the Boston metropolitan planning organization. The department of public health shall report its findings, or a progress report, together with any recommended response actions by the commonwealth to the house and senate committees on ways and means, to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation, not later than two years after the adoption of this act; provided further that no less than $250,000 shall be appropriated for this purpose.

SECTION 3:

Chapter 21A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18A the following section:

Section 18B: The department of environmental protection in consultation with the department of public health shall promulgate regulations, based on the best available science, establishing health risk assessment guidelines and exposure standards within the commonwealth for ultrafine and fine particulate matter. To ensure the accuracy and completeness of the assessment, the department’s guidelines shall set forth standard procedures for conducting air dispersion modeling; obtaining dose-response values; estimating the frequency, duration, and intensity of exposure; and estimating both acute and chronic health risks. Exposure standards shall be based on the best available science. The Department of Environmental Protection will develop a plan for monitoring particulates so as to acquire data indicative of areas of greatest hazard to human health.