Posted on 04/11/2012 9:19:49 AM PDT by CNSNews.com
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforced nearly $500,000 in fines and mandatory “environmental projects” on a school bus contractor for “excessive idling,” and as part of its anti-idling campaign to reduce the carbon footprint of school buses waiting to pick up children for their routes.
“As part of a settlement for alleged excessive diesel idling in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Durham School Services will commit to reduce idling from its school bus fleet of 13,900 buses operating in 30 states,” read an EPA press release on Tuesday.
The EPA says an agency inspector two years ago spotted buses of the Durham School Services, the second largest school bus transportation contractor in the country, “idling for extended periods of time” in school lots in New England.
“The inspector observed some buses idling for close to two hours before departing the bus lot to pick up school children,” it said. State rules limit idling to three minutes in Connecticut and five minutes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where the infractions occurred.
Durham reached a settlement for the violation and agreed to pay $90,000 in penalties. It also agreed to pay for $348,000 worth of environmental projects, including implementing a national training and management program “to prevent excessive idling from its entire fleet of school buses.”
Under the program Durham must require its supervisors to “monitor idling in school bus lots, post anti-idling signs in areas where drivers congregate, and notify the school districts it serves of its anti-idling policy.”
The EPA’s enforcement is part of its broader national campaign aimed at reducing idling among public school bus fleets. The federal agency claims a bus whose engine is running while stationary consumes about one-half gallon of fuel per hour.
“By reducing the idling time of each bus in its fleet by one hour per day, Durham would reduce its fuel use by 1.25 million gallons per year and avoid emitting 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year,” the release stated, adding, “Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.”
According to the EPA, as of 2006, 30 states plus the District of Columbia had either state, county or local anti-idling regulations in place, with the city of Philadelphia setting the maximum allowable time for diesel powered motor vehicles at two consecutive minutes.
The EPA Web site even provides a “do it yourself kit” for those wishing to bring the anti-idling campaign to their school district, providing brochures, posters, a “Teacher’s Guide for use in reinforcing key messages of the Idle-Reduction campaign,” and pledge cards for drivers that read, “I’m doing my share for clean air.”
Also available for order are bus driver key chains “that can be used by bus drivers daily to remind them that they hold the key to a healthier ride,” and a five-minute training video entitled “Reducing School Bus Idling: The Key to a Healthier Ride.” Also referenced is California’s 2003 anti-idling regulation that bus drivers must to turn off their vehicle within 100 feet of a school and must not turn the bus back on more than 30 seconds before beginning to depart – or face a minimum penalty of $100.
The EPA suggests purchasing block engine pre-heaters, which cost approximately $1,200 to $1,500 each, to reduce idling and warm up engines and passenger compartments during colder months. Also available are Compartment/Engine Block Heaters that cost approximately $2,300 to $2,500.
The EPA claims the diesel emitted from school buses pollutes the air, wastes fuel, causes excess engine wear, and is harmful to children’s health.
“Children, especially those suffering from asthma or other respiratory ailments, are particularly vulnerable to diesel exhaust,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office, in announcing the fines levied on Durham.
“EPA is pleased with this settlement, which will dramatically limit school bus idling and help protect the health of school children in dozens of communities across the country,” he said.
One of these days we are going to idle the EPA.
“The EPA suggests purchasing block engine pre-heaters, which cost approximately $1,200 to $1,500 each, to reduce idling and warm up engines and passenger compartments during colder months. Also available are Compartment/Engine Block Heaters that cost approximately $2,300 to $2,500.”
Does the EPA know that it takes some other source of power to run these pre-heaters?
If you were to consider the amount of exhaust emitted by the lines of cars stuck behind the typical government swill bus, the emissions the buses themselves make would be statistically insignificant.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforced nearly $500,000 in fines and mandatory “environmental projects” on a school bus contractor for “excessive idling,” and as part of its anti-idling campaign to reduce the carbon footprint of school buses waiting to pick up children for their routes.
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No problem. Just pass these costs on to the school district, i.e., the taxpayers.
/s
Let’s improve the overall health of the school population and make most of them walk. I’ll bet a 50% reduction in the school bus fleet would do wonders to reduce pollution.
‘Excessive Idling’ is in the U.S. Constitution right next to abortion, penumbra, privacy, seat belts, child car seats, spotted owls, 1.6 gallon per flush, etc.
Isn’t it amazing that the Founding Fathers knew about all this stuff a long time ago?
The “thinking” (shame on me for using that term in conjunction with EPA a-holes) is that such devices would draw power directly from the grid, which as a centralized source of power, is easier to control than many little idling engines. It’s true, in theory. However, it also draws power off a grid that is really not growing like it needs to. Build a few zillion nukes, and I’d be all for things like this....
This brings to mind Rick Perry and the gubmmint agencies he would get rid of.
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Perry was discussing his jobs plan and his flat tax plan when he said: “And I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the... what’s the third one there? Let’s see.”
Perry then paused and there was audible laughter in the room. Texas Rep. Ron Paul then chimed in “You need five,” to which Perry responded, “Oh, five, OK. So Commerce, Education, and the...”
Romney then suggested, “EPA?” to which Perry responded, “EPA, there you go, no...” with laughter from the candidate and the audience.
Moderator John Harwood from CNBC then asked, “Seriously, is the EPA the one you were talking about?”
“No, sir, no, sir. We were talking about the agencies of government — the EPA needs to be rebuilt. There’s no doubt about that,” Perry responded.
“But you can’t name the third one?” Harwood asked.
“The third agency of government I would, I would do away with, the Education, the... Commerce and, let’s see,” Perry said, as his brain freeze continued.
Finally, Perry gave up, saying: “I can’t. The third one, I can’t. Sorry. Oops.”
The pre-heaters will be powered by windmills, except when the wind isn’t blowing, and by solar cells, except when there is cloud cover. So, if it happens to be one of those overcast winter days without at least 10mph winds, you’ll have to accept that the busses will be sent on their way without proper engine heating and oil circulation, thus causing excessive wear and greater occupancy in land fills of dead bus engines. The EPA will then fine the bus companies for excessive use of landfills.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Until that time, someone has to take a stand against such abusive authority. If this were my company, I would shut it down, lay off all the workers, sell the buses and any remaining inventory, move my assets offshore, and tell the EPA to go to hell.
Bump
This horrible problem would be solved if only the government owned and ran the school bus companies. Capitalism is to blame yet again.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Besides the EPA, we need to get rid of the California Clean Air Act. I used to have a gas can with a simple spout and never once in 40+ years did I ever spill so much as a drop of gasoline. Now we have these stupid spring loaded environmental spouts that cannot be worked without pouring as much gas on the ground as you get in the gas tank. Plus, at the end of the season, you can’t put the old gas in you car to burn it up so you can get fresh gas in the spring. The stupid spout won’t work with a car.
As any ex-school bus driver can tell you, in the winter as you are waiting for students, the engine is running or the students and/or driver is freezing.
As any ex-school bus driver can tell you, in the winter as you are waiting for students, the engine is running or the students and/or driver is freezing.
Home schooled children don’t need school buses.
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