HOUSE    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   .    .   No. 5042

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Eight.

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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. As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Fine particulate matter”, particulate matter that is less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

“Particulate matter”, a broad class of chemically and physically diverse substances that exist as discrete particles in air.

 “Ultrafine particulate matter”, particulate matter less than or equal to .1 micrometers in diameter.

SECTION 2, Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the bureau for environmental health within 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 said study may include, but shall not be limited to, examining respiratory and cardiovascular disease and cancer incidence that may be affected by exposure to traffic-related particles. The following departments and agencies of the commonwealth shall provide information to the center 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 center 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 not later than December 31, 2008.