PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Aaron Jacobs, Teacher from New York City
3:14:59
·
110 sec
Aaron Jacobs, a New York City teacher, testifies against Intro 941, arguing that it would weaken idling laws and negatively impact his students' health. He describes the current issues with illegal idling near schools and supports Intro 5 and Intro 291 to strengthen the Citizens Air Complaint Program.
- Jacobs teaches 9th graders in the Bronx, where many students struggle with asthma due to air pollution
- He observes frequent illegal idling by delivery trucks and buses near his school, causing fumes to enter classrooms
- Jacobs argues that the Citizens Air Complaint Program is effective in reducing idling in his neighborhood
Aaron Jacobs
3:14:59
Thank you, Chairman, General And Staff.
3:15:00
My name is Aaron Jacobs.
3:15:01
I live in New York.
3:15:02
I'm a New York City teacher.
3:15:03
I teach 9th graders in the Bronx 10th district by Fordham, an area plagued with very high traffic.
3:15:08
And as a result of air pollution, A very large portion of my students struggle with asthma every single year.
3:15:14
My students and I can tell you that every day, there are delivery trucks and buses that idle next to our school and the schools around the corner.
3:15:20
My classroom's on the 2nd floor.
3:15:22
So we're on the front line.
3:15:23
This illegal idling happens both during and after school.
3:15:26
These buses regularly idle while no students have been on the bus all the time.
3:15:31
Trucks and buses illegally idle on even the mildest of days.
3:15:35
I could smell the fumes in my classroom.
3:15:37
So Students often ask me, Mister, what's that smell?
3:15:40
And I look out the window, and as usual, it's an idling chakra bus.
3:15:44
My students and I can regularly breathe these fumes, leaving no choice, but to keep the windows closed on even the hottest of days.
3:15:50
Intro 941 will weaken the law and make it easier for students for school buses to idle.
3:15:55
And I teach my students to question everything.
3:15:58
So my question to the council is, who benefits from this change in the law?
3:16:02
Because I can tell you, it's not my students.
3:16:04
Like many New Yorkers, my students have little idea of the dangers they face when they're standing outside near these buses and trucks.
3:16:10
This pollution is deadly.
3:16:12
This law would leave my kids more exposed to toxic fumes.
3:16:15
Lastly, I live in New York.
3:16:17
This program works.
3:16:18
In my neighborhood, in Midtown, I'll walk around now, and it's becoming very difficult to report, which is a good thing.
3:16:26
This is due to the amount of trucks who stopped idling, such as Amazon for 1.
3:16:30
Intro 941 threatens the city's single best way to enforce our air code.
3:16:34
If it passes, our air will get even dirtier and more dangerous.
3:16:37
It also intimidates new users, and it doesn't welcome them.
3:16:41
I support intro 5, intro 291 to help protect the program and make it even better I opposed intro 941 entirely, I yield back to the chairman.
James F. Gennaro
3:16:49
Thank you.
