RE : Provost bill would fund study of what happens when people

[Guest guest]

Having grown up next to 93, and crossing the Savin Hill over 93 to go to grammar

school, I can attest to the vehicle exhaust and heavy traffic which has resulted

in health risk to the residents who are in the high impact area. Sections of

this neighborhood were taken by eminent domain to make way for this

highway...unfortunately people in the city have been largely voiceless, and

coupled with the expressway, there has been heavy industry interspersed

throughout this entire area.

It has also taken a toll on the insurance rates as in Massachusetts, the rates

emanate where the accidents happen, not on the competence or lack thereof of the

drivers. So, a suburban driver who has an accident on the highway in the city,

is charged at a lower rate than the driver in whose location the accident

happened. It is being burned twice.

How much can people who are in these impact areas take? The health risks, as

well as the high insurance rates. It is insult to injury. Biodiesel or

environmentally friendly fuels are largely unavailable in Boston. Sounds like a

great bill. Asthma and high insurance rates seem to go together...And, no

rocket science here, where English is not the first language, the access to both

information and a 'voice' will be lacking...Bravo for the bill!

Darlene <darlenesb2000@...> a écrit :

Provost bill would fund study of what happens when people live next to 93, other

highways

Provost

Democrat Provost represents Somerville at the State House.

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By Priscilla Yeon

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

New! Thu Jul 26, 2007, 01:40 PM EDT

Somerville -

http://www.townonline.com/somerville/homepage/x266590128

Community activists, lawmakers, educators and environmentalists testified today

in favor of a series of bills that seek to improve people’s health by

diminishing their exposure of toxic products, contaminants and pollutants.

The Committee on Public Health heard from supporters of bills that would direct

the Department of Public Health (DPH) to study the health impacts of

neighborhoods in close proximity to highways, require schools and other public

buildings to address air quality issues, and mandate safe alternatives to

harmful cleaning products.

According to Rep. Provost (D-Somerville), the chief sponsor of a bill

that would give the DPH $250,000 to study the consequences to human exposure to

pollutants, health insurance policies covered $80 million in hospitalizations

and $33 million in emergency room visits in fiscal year 2005 due to

asthma-related cases.

“There is a terrible human cost,” said Provost. Her bill would require the study

to be focused on communities located within 500 feet of any roadway with 50,000

or more motor vehicle trips per day.

According to Rioux, a professor at Tufts University, there have been

numerous studies showing people’s susceptibility to health problems because they

live near highways. “The evidence is really strong and it’s building,” said

Rioux.

She said a study conducted in Los Angeles showed the overall mortality rate for

people living near highways was 17 percent higher than other locations and

people’s susceptibility to lung and heart problems was 60 percent higher.

“This is a human-made problem and we’ve got to do something to reverse it,” said

Ed Marakovitz, a board member for the Massachusetts Public Health Association.

He said the negative impact of pollutants is “dramatic” especially to children.

Ellin Reisner, a member of the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership,

said she lives in East Somerville where the air quality is very poor because her

neighborhood abuts Interstate 93 and Rte. 128. Reisner said several residents

are immigrants who speak limited English and stressed the importance of

providing information about the dangers of particulate matter exposure to all

residents so they can install air filters in their homes.

“We need to figure out ways to help people,” said Reisner. “We don’t want to

prevent smart growth. We want smart growth in smart places,” she said, referring

to efforts to build affordable housing near transit stations.

Roseann Bongiovanni, president of the Chelsea City Council, said Chelsea is

ranked fourth for heart attack and coronary heart disease in comparison to

similar communities, such as Boston, Cambridge, Medford, Everett and Malden.

Chelsea’s rate of hospitalizations for all respiratory illnesses for children

ages 0 to 14 is 54 percent higher than the rest of the state and 53 percent

higher for seniors.

She said Provost’s bill will be “a first step” to address the consequences of

air pollution in her community. Bongiovanni said minority residents comprise

about 60 percent of her community and companies in Chelsea are storing oil and

tons of road salt and hazardous waste, and operating an animal hide processing

plant.

Philip Katz, board member for the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational

Safety and Health (MassCOSH), spoke in favor of Smizik’s bill and another piece

of legislation filed by Committee Co-Chair Koutoujian (D-Waltham) that

would create standards and preventative measures to avoid air contamination

problems in schools.

Koutoujian’s bill would direct DPH to develop regulations on indoor air quality

standards in public buildings to address humidity, ventilation, heating, air

exchange, asbestos, lead paint and other air contamination issues.

“Our students are more vulnerable to air quality problems because of their small

size and extensive time spent in schools,” said Katz, a father of two fourth

graders. “As we make our schools healthier, we will make our students

healthier.”

According to Levenstein, professor emeritus of the Department of Work

Environment at UMass Lowell, 15 percent of the public schools have claimed to

have “serious health concerns.” He said due to the lack of funding, school

buildings are deteriorating and exposing children to mold and other toxics.

“People in Massachusetts want and expect a safe and clean environment for their

children,” said Levenstein.

Sen. Fargo said the State House is an example of a public building that is

not addressing its air quality concerns. “This building we’re in is horrible in

terms of molds,” said Fargo.

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