Pending Legislation Can Prevent Serious Health Risk For Children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Betin Santos, Environmental Defense, 713-942-5821
Jennifer Dickson, 512-691-3442
(
“Funding the Clean School Bus program will allow children throughout
Children riding school buses are exposed to high concentrations of fine particulates and other toxic substances from the buses’ own emissions that enter the cabin. In addition, school district’s without a “no idling” policy subject teachers and staff whom spend time on “bus duty” to high levels of diesel pollution. While school buses are the safest way to transport children, the emissions from their diesel engines contribute to a host of health effects including increased asthma, heart disease, and increased cancer risk.
Environmental Defense and the Conroe Independent School District partnered last year to conduct a demonstration project to evaluate just how much diesel pollution enters the school bus during an average trip. Conroe ISD is the first in
“The District felt it was important to accurately test the levels of diesel emissions both inside and outside of our buses. It is also important to recognize that these emissions are present in buses throughout Texas which is why there needs to be statewide funding to make Texas school buses safer for our students,” said Sam Davila, Director of Transportation for CISD. “Using a $750,000 grant we obtained, our District was able to retrofit 112 buses. Cleaning up this many buses would not have been possible without external funding. We found that by outfitting buses with diesel particulate filters and reducing the amount of time buses idle we can reduce the health implications, improve air quality in
Measuring Pollution Levels Inside Texas School Buses is a comprehensive study that details actual pollution levels in CISD buses and includes testing of technologies available to clean up the state’s entire school bus fleet. The report found that diesel particulate filters and closed crankcase filtration systems reduce diesel pollution by 95% bringing it to the level of a clean, 2007 diesel bus.
“We have worked hard with state officials to develop a strong program to clean-up our buses knowing already that these risks were real, and serious,” said
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s budget projections show that more than $150 million in unspent clean air funds will be available in 2008-2009 from the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP). Most of this dedicated funding comes from fees paid by everyday Texans each time they transfer a vehicle title.
Measuring Pollution Levels Inside Texas School Buses is available for download at: www.cleanbuses.org or by linking here, http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/6153_bus_findings.pdf
One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund
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