SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1449        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1078

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Richard T. Moore

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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 concerning public health reviews.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Richard T. Moore

Worcester and Norfolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1449        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1078

By Mr. Richard T. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1078) of Richard T. Moore for legislation to establish a working group to determine a community review on the impacts of wind turbines.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act concerning public health reviews.

 

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. There is hereby established a working group to determine the scope and process of community reviews for the siting of and impacts caused by wind turbines in residential neighborhoods and to abutters of said turbines. The scope and process of community reviews shall include but not be limited to:  (i) visiting a site over a period of time to gauge the varying degrees of wind strength; (ii) monitoring noise levels over a certain period of time to gauge the impact; (iii) assessing the impacts of wind turbine noise; (iv) flicker and other impacts on the health of individuals living within 3,000 feet of said turbines; and (v) any other issues that said working group feels are important to local communities impacted by the siting of said wind turbines.

SECTION 2. The working group shall be administered by the department of public health, the department of environmental protection, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Selectman’s Association and the Massachusetts Association of Boards of Health and shall consist of: the commissioner of department of public health, or designee, who shall serve as co-chair; the commissioner of the department of environmental protection, or designee, who shall serve as co-chair; a representative from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, who shall serve as co-chair; a representative from the Massachusetts Selectman’s Association, who shall serve as co-chair; a representative from the Massachusetts Association of Boards of Health, who shall serve as co-chair; the speaker of the house of representatives, or designee; the president of the senate, or designee; the minority leaders of the house and senate, or their designees; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health, or their designees; the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities, and energy, or their designees.