Children, School Health Experts & Lawmakers to Call on Board of Regents to Adopt Strong Bus Anti-Idling Regs

• by Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera

ALBANY, NY (05/05/2008)(readMedia)-- WHO: Parents of children in Red Hook and Bethlehem Central School districts, school age children, lawmakers, healthy school advocates, American Lung Association of New York State, and clean air advocates

WHAT: New York State Board of Regents has proposed a complete ban on school bus idling on school grounds. The regulations were required by 2007 legislation authored by Assemblyman Rivera and Senator Lanza. Every major health research institution in the nation has called the exhaust from idling buses a danger to human health, especially to children. There is opposition to the proposed rules. A delay or weakening of the proposed regulations will continue to put 3 million school age children in New York at risk of developing asthma and other respiratory diseases.

WHERE: 2nd Floor of the Legislative Office Building, Hallway outside hearing rooms.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 10:30 AM

WHY: New York has the highest asthma rates in the nation and the problem is worsening with high rates of pediatric asthma being diagnosed throughout New York. One of the major factors contributing to bad air quality is the exhaust of the 55,000 school buses used to transport 2.2 million children to and from school each day. May is National Asthma Awareness Month and May 6th is World Asthma Day. Concerned parents, lawmakers and clean air advocates will use occasion to call on New York State Board of Regents to adopt strong rules to ban all school bus idling on school grounds. Regents will make a decision later this month.