Remarks for Ed Peterson for EPA Administrator Johnson news conference 2/19/07
Administrator Johnson, Superintendent Cummings, Principal St. Louis and esteemed guests:
On behalf of the Mid-America Regional Council Air Quality Forum, I am very pleased to accept this EPA Clean School Bus USA award in the amount: $215,984.55. This funding will leverage nearly $1 million in federal Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality funds and $50,000 in Kansas Supplemental Environmental Project funds to enable the bistate Kansas City region to install emissions controls on over 1,330 school buses.
The real story here is about metropolitan Kansas City's commitment to improving air quality. In our region we have a plan, but most importantly, we are making the plan work. We do this because of the lives that will be affected by the investments we are making to improve the region's air quality.
According to data recently released by the state of Missouri (Department of Health and Senior Services), over 25,000 children in the metropolitan area suffer from asthma. Many of these kids ride buses to and from school and are exposed to diesel emissions in loading areas and while onboard the buses. Because their bodies are still developing, children are more susceptible than adults to the effects of air pollution, and those with asthma and other respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable. The health effects of exposure to fine particulates and carbon monoxide are well documented, and to the extent that we can limit our kids' exposure to these pollutants, it is nothing less than our moral obligation to do so.
Three years ago, the region undertook the development of a regional Clean Air Action Plan — a comprehensive plan for reducing air pollution not only in the near term, but for generations to come. Recognized by EPA with a 2006 national Clean Air Excellence Award, the Action Plan is the first of its kind in the country. I am grateful to the technicians and business representatives on the Air Quality Forum who continually remind me that the underlying premise of all our efforts is simple: that the region's air quality should not merely meet federal standards, but that area residents should be able to breathe clean air.
The school bus retrofit program is an important component of the region's Clean Air Action Plan. The project will reduce school bus emissions of fine particles by 20 percent, carbon monoxide by 40 percent, and volatile organic compounds – which contribute to the region's ground-level ozone problem – by 50 percent. We are grateful for EPA's support in this endeavor.
In addition to the school bus retrofit program, we continue to work on other major projects:
- Installation of pollution controls on nearby power plants of KCPL and the Kansas City Kansas BPU;
- Inclusion of fire departments and other major diesel operators in retrofit activities;
- Local government ozone reduction programs such as the one in Johnson County Government; and
- Development of transit alternatives.
While these "big" projects are important, the region still faces significant air quality challenges that will require action by each individual in our community. This summer, metropolitan Kansas City is at high risk of violating the federal standard for ground-level ozone. Air quality modeling indicates that the region will continue to have difficulty meeting the current standard for a number of years to come. Failure to meet federal standards will require the region to implement new air quality regulations, but the path to cleaner air cannot and should not be purely regulatory in nature.
Voluntary efforts to improve air quality will always be an important part of the region's strategy because one-half of ozone-forming emissions come from individual activities. That means everyone contributes to the problem, and therefore, everyone must be part of the solution.
We look forward to a continued partnership with EPA, area school districts, and other community stakeholders as we continue to implement the Clean Air Action Plan. No single agency or group can solve the region's air quality problems, but together we can make sure that our children, grandchildren and generations to come have clean, healthy air to breathe. Thank you for your support and commitment to this vital work.
