FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 7, 2007
GOVERNOR SPITZER SIGNS BILL TO REDUCE SCHOOL BUS IDLING
Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced that he has signed legislation that will reduce air pollution from idling school buses. The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to issue regulations requiring certain school districts, particularly those with a significant number of children with asthma, to minimize the idling of school buses while parked on school grounds or in front of schools.
Emissions from diesel engines in trucks and buses contain pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and microscopic particles of soot that can become lodged deep in human lungs. These pollutants have been linked to cancer, respiratory diseases, such as asthma, and other serious health conditions.
Governor Spitzer said: "Idling school buses expose children and others to harmful diesel exhaust. Promoting clear air in our school yards is critically important and I thank the bill's sponsors for their advocacy on behalf of this vital public health initiative."
Senator Andrew Lanza, sponsor of the bill in the Senate, said: "As President Kennedy once noted, 'we all breathe the same air'. It is our responsibility to ensure that air is clean. This is an important step in reducing the pollutants that cause a variety of diseases including asthma."
Assemblyman Peter Rivera, sponsor of the bill in the Assembly, said: "The dangers of exposing our children to toxic diesel exhaust have been well documented. Today we are a step closer to better protecting our children's health by banning idling of school vehicles outside school buildings. New York's astronomically high rates of pediatric asthma have prompted this new law which will help to protect the environment, improves air quality outside school buildings, and helps save millions of dollars through fuel conservation. Our children and communities will benefit tremendously because of this new law."
Director of the Asthma Free School Zone, Rebecca Kalin, said: "Until the day when children can protect themselves from environmental hazards it is up to adults to do it for them. Because a school holds a concentration of children, protecting the school zone makes sense. The Asthma Free School Zone applauds the passage of the idle-free school zones act. We look forward to continuing progress in the reduction of tailpipe emissions in New York State."
WE ACT for Environmental Justice Executive Director, Peggy Shepard, said: "As we know school buses are among the dirtiest vehicles on the road and research indicates that there are severe spikes in pollution around schools at the times that buses are dropping and picking up students. By signing this bill, the governor continues his focus on reducing air pollution and improving the health of the most vulnerable among us: children."
Commissioner of Education, Richard Mills, said: "This new law improves the air quality in our schools and protects the health of children, allowing them to keep their focus where it belongs, on learning."
State law already restricts bus and truck idling to no more than five consecutive minutes. This legislation authorizes the Commissioner of Education to require that school buses to be turned off while waiting for passengers to load or unload on school grounds or in front of schools, unless idling is necessary for heating, mechanical or emergency conditions. The Commissioner of Education must promulgate these regulations by July 1, 2008.
As Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer launched an anti-idling enforcement initiative and found widespread violations of the state's idling limits. The initiative resulted in agreements to limit idling with nine school bus fleets in the Metropolitan New York City area, covering 7,700 buses - 75 percent of New York City's school bus fleet.
"While Attorney General, I brought a number of enforcement actions against private school bus companies that were breaking the state's anti-idling laws and, working with the companies, we demonstrated that buses do not need to idle when picking up or dropping off students at school. This legislation builds on that experience by expanding the number of school districts that will be required to restrict bus idling near schools," added Governor Spitzer.
Original article can be found here: http://www.nysbca.com/PRreduceidling.htm