No Idle Law Takes Effect May 1: abc27 News Coverage

Watch: abc27 News coverage, No Idle Law Takes Effect May 1

ABC 27 Talkback:

Carlisle, Pa. – Starting Saturday, trucks and buses will no longer be allowed to idle anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania.

The “No-Idle” law prohibits drivers from running their engines for more than five minutes each hour while they’re parked. It’s all part of an effort to improve air quality in the Commonwealth.

Enforcement will be up to municipal and state police, as well as the Department of Environmental Protection. Fines for non-compliance start at around $300.

“It’s probably going to be failure to follow a traffic sign, but we’re really going to be asking the trucking companies to help out with this too,” said Fritzi Schreffler, a PennDOT spokeswoman.

PennDOT started posting signs in 2009, but the law gave truckers an exemption until May 1 so they could equip their vehicles with battery-powered heaters or generators.

http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/0410/731423_video.html

Area Gets an ‘F’ from the American Lung Association for Air Quality: Fox43 News

April 29th, 2009: Fox43 News (the archived video link is not available at this time)

Area Gets an ‘F’ from the American Lung Association for Air Quality

By Sarah Arbogast

Excerpt (Video): “A new report card is out and our area gets a failing grade. The report, by the American Lung Association, rates air quality.

The Harrisburg area ranks 24th in the nation for short-term particle pollution. That pollution could lead to health problems, like asthma and bronchitis.”

Cumberland County’s Deteriorating Air Quality: WGAL News8

December 2nd, 2008: WGAL News8

Cumberland County’s Deteriorating Air Quality: Watch Clip

Clean Air Partnership: WGAL News8 Clip

September 29th, 2008: WGAL News8

Reported by George Lettis and Brian Roche

Watch the Clip

Kevin Stewart of the American Lung Association, Jennifer McKenna of the Clean Air Board and local resident Mike Crochet discuss the impact of the region’s declining air quality on health and new efforts to raise awareness of this serious issue.

Excerpt: “For years now, the skies over Carlisle have not met federal clean air requirements. Now, an environmental group is leading a new effort to help residents keep an eye on what they’re breathing in.

The Clean Air Board announced a partnership with the Carlisle Regional Medical Center and the Sentinel Newspaper. They purchased an EPA-certified air monitor that measures the toxic particulate matter that comes from soot and diesel exhaust.” – WGAL News8

CAB Featured in “Journey Woman’s” 50 in 52 Project

Dafna Michaelson and the 50 in 52 Journey

Excerpt: “Moving to Carlisle we find Thomas Benjey and Carolyn Kenworthy of the Clean Air Board (CAB). Most people see trucks on the highway and don’t give them another thought. But when you live in a town where trucks seem to flock to for various reasons and you learn about he pollution those trucks are putting out, especially when idling at truck stops, it becomes more than just doing something about a green planet. With donated funds the Clean Air Board has been helping to raise awareness about the issues of truck pollution in Pennsylvania for some time. Watch this video and see how people really can make a big impact in their communities and their state.”

About 50 in 52, from The Sentinel News:

Dafna Michaelson’s “50 in 52 Journey” project to highlight problem-solvers in America’s communities should wrap up the last week of December in her home state of Colorado.

Her Web site, www.50in52journey.com, currently has 230 videos up.