• Specialty

  Air Quality
  

• SECTOR

  Municipal
  Transportation
  

• TYPE

  Environmental Study
  Permitting / Compliance
  

• CLIENTELE

  Local Government
  

• TIMESPAN

  2013

• LOCATION

  Needham, MA

Ultrafine Particulate Matter

SERVICE:

Review of Presentation and Studies

DESCRIPTION:

Tech performed an extensive review of materials and studies that were presented at the Needham Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) by those opposing a 40B development regarding the potential impacts of ultrafine particles (UFP) emitted from Interstate 95 (I-95) on people's health. Tech reviewed articles and studies that cited the potential health impacts of UFP, but found that the ability to properly assess the impacts and accurately measure UFP was still in its early stages. While monitoring programs had been performed to quantify UFP, nothing had been formally finalized that provided a method of consistency. Tech found a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study had concluded that there was no sufficient evidence supporting a regulatory standard for UFP. Although EPA does not regulated UFP emissions, over the past two decades, EPA has been taking regulatory steps to reduce overall particulate matter (PM) from motor vehicles, which subsequently would reduce UFP. As part of our research, Tech also looked at the potential benefits of vegetative barriers and determined that the existing tree line at the project site would help to reduce the UFP. In addition, to our research of UFP emissions and potential health impacts, Tech's also evaluated the potential site specific UFP impacts based on the location of the Project in relation to I-95. The predominant wind direction in the area is westerly; therefore, I-95 will be downwind (i.e., the predominant winds blow from the Project Site toward I-95), which will tend to keep UFP near background levels at the Project Site and will continue to reduce the UFP reaching the Project Site from I-95.

 

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Key Points

• Tech performed a review of presented materials and studies regarding the health impacts of UFP emitted from I-95 on an adjacent proposed 40B development.
• Tech found that health and environmental impacts could not be assessed because the ability to assess the impacts and measure UFP was still in its early stages and site specific conditions tend to keep UFP near background levels.