Soon, some Queens kids will be able to breathe a little easier.
In honor of Asthma Awareness Month, a two-week long campaign from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) called “Stop Idling” will be enforced through June 6.
“Stop Idling” will target areas around P.S. 206 in Rego Park; P.S. 220 in Forest Hills; P.S. 98 and 221 in Douglaston; P.S. 811 and 94 in Little Neck; P.S. 41 and 130 in Bayside; P.S. 43 and 104 in Far Rockaway; P.S. 162 in Flushing and P.S. 48 in Jamaica.
According to the DEP, this campaign is an add-on to a 2009 initiative called “Turn It Off,” which reinforced and clarified the legal, financial, environmental and health impacts of vehicle idling.
DEP’s Director of Communications Chris Gilbride said that agency inspectors are going to be monitoring the vehicles in those areas and said that if people are idling for more than a minute near schools or for more than three minutes in other locations, they will be fined $350 for the violation.
DEP officials used public health data that was available for every region of the city from a survey that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted recently.
The DEP looked at the statistics and focused on the areas where there were high rates of people with asthma and then narrowed in on the schools. They also worked with the Department of Transportation to install one-minute idling signs for drivers so they are aware.
Then, DEP officials did surveillance and observed if there was idling taking place at each location. In order to raise awareness of this campaign and this issue, DEP officials stood outside of public schools and handed out flyers to parents, teachers and staff while 1,400 flyers were sent to parent coordinators for them to send out.
Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott said that the “Stop Idling” campaign is going to help produce and keep the environment eco-friendly, which will allow for a healthier lifestyle for not just kids and their parents, but for everyone else who has asthma.
“Reducing traffic and emissions from vehicles and other sources will benefit not only children with asthma, but all New Yorkers with chronic heart and lung conditions,” he said.
