Committee on Health and Environmental Protection
March 28, 2018
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, on October 7, 2009, the Chicago City Council passed an anti-idling ordinance intending to reduce the amount of fumes emitted from diesel powered vehicles that pollute the City; and
WHEREAS, section 9-80-095 of the Municipal Code of Chicago (the "Chicago anti-idling law") prohibits any person who owns or operates any large diesel-powered motor vehicle to idle for more than a total of three minutes within any sixty-minute period; and
WHEREAS, diesel emissions from school buses contribute disproportionately to ambient air quality, especially near schools. Diesel emissions from school buses contain significant levels of particulate matter, which poses health risks to all individuals, especially children with asthma; and
WHEREAS, a University of Chicago study estimated that asthma impacts 12.9% of Chicago residents, with rates in minority and low income communities ranging between 2% and 44%. Asthma hospitalization rate in Chicago is two times the national asthma hospitalization rate; and
WHEREAS, a University of Chicago study estimated that 17.3% of Chicago children 0-17 years of age have asthma, over 57% of whom missed school because of asthma within the last year. The burden of asthma on Chicago's youth prevents those individuals and their families from living happy, healthy lives; and
WHEREAS, state-wide and city-wide idling initiatives throughout the country have raised awareness to the growing issue of asthma in the United States. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection encourages schools to promote anti-idling initiatives by providing free anti-idling signs for schools to post around campus; and
WHEREAS, on December 8, 2010, the Chicago City Council passed Resolution R2010-1393, calling for stricter enforcement of the Chicago anti-idling law, and citing a Chicago Tribune report that the Chicago Police had not written any tickets for violating Chicago's anti-idling law; and
WHEREAS, on March 29, 2017, the Chicago City Council passed Resolution R2017-218, declaring the City's support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Clean Power Plan, emphasizing the need to protect the health and environment of Chicagoans through curbing toxic pollutants such as nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide, both of which are present in diesel emissions; and
WHEREAS, Illinois House Bill 5662 was filed on February 16, 2018, proposing an amendment to the Illinois Vehicle Code that limits idling of diesel-powered school buses in all school zones throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, Cook County air quality has been in "non-attainment" under the Federal Clean Air Act for almost two decades without any improvement. Let Chicago be an example to the rest of Illinois in advocating for the reduction of diesel emissions around our schools through anti-idling initiatives or investment in electric school buses; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled on this 28th day of March, 2018, do hereby urge the Chicago Police Department and the Department of Public Health to enforce Chicago's anti-idling law and work to alleviate the burden of diesel emissions around Chicago schools; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call on the public, teachers, administration, and parents of students to encourage their school bus drivers to comply with Chicago's anti-idling law to -benefit the\health and livelihood of Chicago's youth.
Alderman/George A. Cardenas 12th Wa/d