Legislative Action Committee: Diesel Archives
$10 million for school bus retrofits in CT
Roger Smith, Campaign Director for the CT Chapter of Clean Water Action, worked really hard on the issue of getting money for school bus retrofits into the CT budget. He sent the exciting notice that is below. He should be congratulated on this big win.
Environment and Human Health, Inc.'s school bus report, "Children's Exposure to Diesel Exhaust on School Buses" exposed what was happening to children on their school buses in 2002 -- and this report continues to lead to subsequent legislation initiatives. We are all grateful to those who have worked, and continue to work, to protect our school children from diesel exhaust exposures on their school buses.
See below for what has just happened in this CT legislative session.
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve budget "implementers" that put the state budget into effect, following an overwhelming Senate vote last week. The good news is that it includes $10 million for school bus retrofits with the funding spread out over 2 years! The budget now goes to the governor who is expected to sign it.
The funding will cover the full cost of purchasing and installing pollution control devices for the approximately 3,400 school buses in the state that are able to have retrofits.
SB 1032
The ECC diesel chair has been working as part of the Connecticut Alliance against Diesel Pollution (CAADP). CAADP is working to pass SB 1032,
a bill that would provide $11 million to retrofit the 3,400 school buses capable of accepting the filter systems. At present, exhaust leaking into bus cabins can create fume levels 10 times greater than outside air. |
