HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3202        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2905

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Denise Provost

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

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

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/21/2011

Joyce A. Spiliotis

12th Essex

1/26/2011

William N. Brownsberger

 

2/1/2011

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

2/3/2011

Patricia D. Jehlen

 

2/3/2011

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

2/3/2011

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

2/4/2011

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/4/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3202        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2905

By Ms. Provost of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2905) of Denise Provost and others relative to the reporting on health effects of particulate matter.  Public Health.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2140 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

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 shall 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 department of transportation (MassDOT), 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.