A public hearing is being held today at the state capitol on a bill requiring an air quality study in towns that may be impacted when the Cricket Valley Energy Center comes on line.  Kent Representative Maria Horn and Danbury Senator Julie Kushner co-sponsored the measure.  The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection would have to provide technical assistance and support to any municipality that purchases, leases or uses air monitoring equipment in order to establish an air quality baseline, and then determining any effect by the Dover Plains plant.  DEEP could provide information on best practices for creating the baseline, guidance on placement of the monitors, and information on best practices to assure the accuracy of the monitors.  The  Environment Committee hearing on the bill is scheduled for 11am.