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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 446-09
October 7, 2009

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION TO REDUCE SCHOOL BUS EMISSIONS AS ONE OF FOURTEEN AIR QUALITY INITIATIVES IN PLANYC

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

"The next bill before me today is Introductory Number 622-A, sponsored by Council Members Gonzalez, Brewer, Dilan, Fidler, Gerson, James, Liu, Mark-Viverito, Palma, Seabrook, Vacca, White, Arroyo, Gennaro, Vallone, Koppell, Eugene, Crowley, Jackson, Lappin, Gentile, Sears and Weprin.  Introductory Number 622-A will achieve one of the fourteen air quality initiatives in PlaNYC, reducing school bus emissions through required retrofits and stricter age limitations on diesel fuel-powered school buses. 

"Introductory Number 622-A will accomplish this reduction in two significant ways.  First, it will lower the retirement age for these buses from nineteen years to sixteen years, getting the oldest, most polluting buses off of the road and second this bill will mandate the installation of a crank-case filter on all buses, large and small, by September 1, 2011.  This relatively inexpensive retrofit prevents harmful engine emissions from entering and concentrating inside the passenger compartment of the bus.

"I would like to thank Mayor's Office of Operations Director Jeff Kay, Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein, and their staff, for their work on this bill.  I would also like to thank the Council for approving this legislation."







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Stu Loeser/Evelyn Erskine   (212) 788-2958




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