February 27, 2006

Chairman’s Statement Regarding Today’s Passage Of Legislation That Further Restricts Allowable Idling Time For Diesel Powered Vehicles

 

I’d like to commend the Environment and Energy Committee, under the leadership of County Legislator Thomas Abinanti, for successfully moving forward today another critical piece of the committee’s Clean Air package, important environmental initiatives the Committee developed in response to the recommendations of its Healthy Air Task Force.

Through its actions, the committee is fulfilling its mission to protect the health and welfare of Westchester residents.

Today’s legislation, restricting the idling time allowed for diesel powered engines to three minutes, comes on the heels of another measure this Board passed a few weeks ago mandating that any diesel-powered “on-road” and “non-road” vehicles operated by the county or county contractors use ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and the best available anti-pollution technology.

The Committee’s aggressive and proactive response to a US EPA finding that Westchester’s air failed to meet ambient air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter is a fine example of how a committee should function. It took a problem, formed the Healthy Air Task Force of environmental and health experts, fleshed out the issues and the possible remedies and went to work implementing solutions.