HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1558        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1989

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Denise Provost

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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 reporting on health effects of particulate matter.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1558        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1989

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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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:
 

Chapter 111 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by adding as section 141-142 the following two new sections.

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

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

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

“ultrafine particulate matter” or “ultrafine particulates” 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 review of peer reviewed science on the health effects of air pollution from particulate matter, including, but not limited to, the studies collectively titled Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health (CAFEH) conducted by investigators at the Tufts Medical School and elsewhere, with particular attention to ultrafine particulate matter generated by transportation sources. The center for environmental health shall estimate and map the health impacts from exposure to fine and ultrafine particulate matter by populations located within 500 feet of any roadway with 50,000 or more motor vehicle trips per day, or of 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, cognitive, developmental, or neurological impairment and cancer incidence that may be affected by exposure to transportation-related particulates. The following departments and agencies 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), the central transportation planning staff of the Boston metropolitan planning organization, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and other regional planning councils. The department shall coordinate with outside researchers with expertise in the field, to the extent needed to collect the best available science sufficient to make recommendations on regulatory actions to monitor ultrafine particulate matter and protect human health. The department of public health shall report its findings, or a progress report, together with any recommended response actions by the executive or legislative branch of 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.