HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 720        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 426

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Colleen M. Garry

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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 relative to air quality monitoring for new gas pipeline facilities.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 720        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 426

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3990 OF 2015-2016.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to air quality monitoring for new gas pipeline facilities.

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. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 142A the following section:-

Section 142A 1/2. The department shall require compliance with the provisions of section 146 of chapter 164 as a condition of any operating permit it issues to a gas company for a station subject to the provisions of said section 146 of said chapter 164. For purposes of this section, “operating permit” shall mean any permit or group of permits issued by the department covering emission units for facilities subject to permitting requirements promulgated pursuant to section 142A.

The department of environmental protection may promulgate such rules or regulations as may be necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 146. Prior to operating metering station or checking station, a gas company shall, at its own expense, contract with an independent third party, selected or approved by the department of environmental protection, to test the air quality within 2 miles of the station. After the gas company begins operating such station, the gas company shall, at its own expense, contract with an independent third party, selected or approved by the department of environmental protection, to test the air quality of the station, provided that it is still in operation, at the following intervals:

(i) Testing shall be done at the same locations within 2 miles of the station as determined by the local Board of Health..

(ii) Once within each 6 month period from the date the station begins operating until the expiration of 2 years.   

(iii) Once every other year thereafter.

The independent third party shall be capable of detecting low level concentrations of pollutants and identifying any individual volatile organic compounds to determine if the emissions from such stations are potentially harmful to public health and welfare. The independent third party shall report the results of all tests conducted pursuant to this section to the department of public utilities, the department of environmental protection, the department of public health and the local board of health in the municipality in which the station is located.

SECTION 3. This act shall not apply to compressor stations, metering stations or checking stations in operation on or before February 01, 2016.