SB181: requiring monitoring of certain radioactive air pollutants.

SB 181-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2019 SESSION

19-1113

08/01

SENATE BILL 181-FN

AN ACT requiring monitoring of certain radioactive air pollutants.

SPONSORS: Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Morgan, Dist 23; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Rep. Somssich, Rock. 27; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Janvrin, Rock. 37; Rep. K. Murray, Rock. 24; Rep. Bushway, Rock. 21

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the department of health and human services to monitor the air for certain radioactive air pollutants.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-1113

08/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT requiring monitoring of certain radioactive air pollutants.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Airborne Radioactive Material; Monitoring. Amend RSA 125-C by inserting after section 21 the following new section:

125-C:22 Monitoring Airborne Radioactive Material.

I. In this section:

(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of health and human services.

(b) "Department" means the department of health and human services.

II. The department shall develop a network of stations in order to monitor in real-time the movement, dispersal, and re-concentration of any radioactive gaseous, liquid, or solid airborne material. The department shall use the information from such stations to determine the extent and seriousness of radiation doses received by humans and animal life. Such information may be shared with other state agencies or agencies of other states, or with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or any other federal agency, or with any other persons or institutions the commissioner deems appropriate.

III. The department shall publish and make available to the general public on a semi-annual basis, a summary and discussion of the information collected under paragraph II for the previous 6 months.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

19-1113

1/15/19

SB 181-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT requiring monitoring of certain radioactive air pollutants.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$155,000

$104,000

$107,000

$109,000

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill adds a new section after RSA 125-C:21 requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a network of stations to monitor radioactive airborne material, determine the extent of radiation doses received by humans and animal life, and share information with other agencies as the Commissioner deems appropriate. The bill also requires the Department every six months to publicly publish a summary of the information collected.

The Department notes there are currently two air monitoring stations, one in Portsmouth and one in Concord, which are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department assumes it would install six stations for the purposes of the bill at a cost of approximately $3,500 for each station. The Department states a new full-time Laboratory Scientist III position at labor grade 20 step 5 would need to be hired to manage the devices, collect data, complete analysis, and compile semi-annual reports. Position cost estimates include salary, benefits, travel, office space, and a one-time expense in FY 2020 for equipment. Total cost estimates provided by the Department for the position, technology, and maintenance are the following:

Expenditure Type

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Laboratory Scientist III (LG 20 Step 5)

$94,000

$94,000

$97,000

$99,000

Six Stations

$21,000

-

-

-

Client Licenses

$15,000

-

-

-

Software Integration

$15,000

-

-

-

Annual Maintenance

$10,000

$10,000

$10,000

$10,000

Total Costs

$155,000

$104,000

$107,000

$109,000

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services