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Downing's Anti-Idling Bill Moves Forward - December 19, 2007
BOSTON - A school bus anti-idling measure filed by state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, has cleared one of its first hurdles.
The Legislature's Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture reported the bill out favorably on Tuesday afternoon. It's now expected to be reviewed by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
The measure would ban commercial and personal vehicles from excessive idling on school grounds to promote cleaner air. Downing has described the tailpipe emission as being "very similar to a massive amount of cigarette smoke and that gets pumped right into the school."
"With the recent steps Massachusetts has taken to elevate the practice of energy conservation and sound environmental stewardship, this proposal is a logical and necessary step toward addressing air quality and ensuring cleaner air for our schools and the people who learn and work there," said Downing in statement Tuesday. "This is a public health measure as much as it is an environmental initiative and I am pleased that it has moved forward today."
Downing is the sponsor of the bill (S. 2357) with state Rep. Stephen R. Canessa, D-Lakeville. It's based on the anti-idling efforts of Rick Gregg of Lenox. Lenox and Williamstown are among the towns and cities that have already taken action against excessive idling.
The legislation was drafted with the intent to promote clean air at Massachusetts schools. Downing said he and Canessa worked with the Joint Committee on revisions to address concerns raised at the panel's public hearing for the bill.
The legislation released Tuedsay maintains the original intent of the bill by preserving the engine-idling ban on school grounds, while redefining "school grounds" as a 100-foot circumference encasing school property rather than the proposed 1,000-foot circumference in order to increase the likelihood of compliance in urban school districts.
The legislation also mandates every public or private elementary, vocational and secondary school to post "no idling" signs conspicuously in their loading/unloading zones so that the signs are clearly visible to motorists. Approved signs and templates for signage design may be obtained from the state's Department of Environmental Protection and must be posted effective Aug. 1, 2009.
“This anti-idling movement will assist in further educating motorists on the negative impacts of unnecessary engine idling, which in turn will help protect our health, safety and environment,” said Canessa in a statement.
Downing and Canessa filed the bill in mid-September, quickly attracting the support of 48 legislative co-sponsors. |
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