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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 409-09
September 17, 2009

STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON COUNCIL PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION THAT WILL MAKE SCHOOL BUSES GREENER, ACCOMPLISHING GOAL SET IN PLANYC

"By passing Intro. 622-A, the City Council is taking a step that will protect public health and the environment by decreasing the emissions that come from school buses. The legislation passed today, which I intend to sign, requires all diesel-powered school buses to be retrofitted to keep pollution out of bus cabins by 2011 and lowers the retirement age of buses to 16 years starting in 2010, allowing the Department of Education to take the oldest buses off our streets. These old buses make up just 11 percent of the fleet but are responsible for a disproportionate amount of pollution. Intro 622-A will protect children and school bus drivers from diesel pollution inside of school buses and will decrease air emissions by requiring that replacement buses comply with the latest EPA emissions standards. It will also allow us to complete one of the 127 initiatives in PlaNYC, our long-term plan for a greener, greater New York City.

"I would like to thank Speaker Christine Quinn, Environmental Protection Committee Chair Jim Gennaro, Council Member Sara Gonzalez and the rest of the Council for their support on this important measure that protects the health of children and bus drivers riding to and from our schools."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Jason Post   (212) 788-2958




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