Protecting Airport Communities from Particle Emissions Act
Bill: H.R.4068 | Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adam (D-WA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Protecting Airport Communities from Particle Emissions Act
This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to jointly contract with an institution of higher education to study the characteristics, distributions, sources, and potential human health effects of airborne ultrafine particles.

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
    conduct a study relating to ultrafine particles, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Airport Communities from 
Particle Emissions Act''.

SEC. 2. AIRBORNE ULTRAFINE PARTICLE STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration, jointly with the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, shall enter into an agreement with an eligible 
institution of higher education to conduct a study examining airborne 
ultrafine particles and their effect on human health.
    (b) Scope of Study.--The study conducted under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) summarize the relevant literature and studies done on 
        airborne ultrafine particles worldwide;
            (2) focus on large hub commercial airports in--
                    (A) Seattle;
                    (B) Boston;
                    (C) Chicago;
                    (D) New York;
                    (E) the Northern California Metroplex;
                    (F) Phoenix;
                    (G) the Southern California Metroplex;
                    (H) the District of Columbia; and
                    (I) Atlanta;
            (3) examine airborne ultrafine particles and their effect 
        on human health, including--
                    (A) characteristics of UFPs present in the air;
                    (B) spatial and temporal distributions of UFP 
                concentrations;
                    (C) primary sources of UFPs;
                    (D) the contribution of aircraft and airport 
                operations to the distribution of UFP concentrations 
                when compared to other sources;
                    (E) potential health effects associated with 
                elevated UFP exposures, including outcomes related to 
                cardiovascular disease, respiratory infection and 
                disease, degradation of neurocognitive functions, and 
                other health effects, that have been considered in 
                previous studies; and
                    (F) potential UFP exposures, especially to 
                susceptible and vulnerable groups;
            (4) identify measures, including the use of sustainable 
        aviation fuels, intended to reduce emissions from aircraft and 
        airport operations and assess potential effects on emissions 
        related to UFPs; and
            (5) identify information gaps related to understanding 
        relationships between UFP exposures and health effects, 
        contributions of aviation-related emissions to UFP exposures, 
        and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
    (c) Eligibility.--An institution of higher education is eligible to 
conduct the study if the institution--
            (1) is located in one of the areas identified in subsection 
        (b);
            (2) applies to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration in a timely fashion;
            (3) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Administrator 
        that the institution is qualified to conduct the study;
            (4) agrees to submit to the Administrator, not later than 2 
        years after entering into an agreement under subsection (a), 
        the results of the study, including any source materials used; 
        and
            (5) meets such other requirements as the Administrator 
        determines necessary.
    (d) Coordination.--The Administrator may coordinate with the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, and any other agency head whom the 
Administrator deems appropriate to provide data and other assistance 
necessary for the study.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after submission of the 
results of the study by the institution of higher education, the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report on the study including the 
results of the study submitted under subsection (c)(4) by the 
institution of higher education.
    (f) Definition.--In this Act, the terms ``ultrafine particle'' and 
``UFP'' mean particles with diameters less than or equal to 100 
nanometers.
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