PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Breathe Easy, Stay Healthy campaign of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) today named the University of Pittsburgh an air pollution scofflaw, citing Pitt’s failure to post signs alerting drivers of the state law banning idling by diesel trucks and buses. Failure to post such signs can result in fines, court costs, and civil penalties.
“We were astonished to find that Pitt is in violation of this important law,” said Tiffany Hickman, western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture. “Diesel idling contributes to our region’s dirty and dangerous air pollution problem, which killed more than 14,000 local citizens over eight years. Yet Pitt has no signs that would lead to cleaner air.
“While Pitt has failed to post the signs throughout campus, one site really says it all – the Petersen Events Center,” continued Hickman. “The Pete is one of the University’s showcase buildings. Most know this large venue for both women’s and men’s sports, but it also hosts many large touring concert acts, which usually involve multiple trucks, buses, and other diesel vehicles from outside Pennsylvania. This is exactly the type of place where posting the signs would do the most good – letting the out-of-state drivers know the law so they can comply.
“Diesel pollution is incredibly harmful to the health of students, workers, and anyone who is unlucky enough to have to breathe as they go by idling trucks,” said Hickman. “The University of Pittsburgh must make a commitment to the health of its student body and the community at large by obeying the law by posting the correct signs throughout campus.”
State law prohibits the owners and drivers of any diesel-powered motor vehicle with a gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more engaged in commerce (generally, full size extended cab pickups and bigger) from idling for more than five minutes in any continuous 60-minute period, with some exceptions for extreme weather conditions and emergencies. A key portion of the law also gives responsibility to owners and operators of locations where diesel vehicles load, unload or park. An owner or operator of such a location, or where 15 or more parking spaces are provided for vehicles subject to the law, must erect and maintain at least one permanent sign to inform drivers that idling is restricted in Pennsylvania.
Earlier this month, PennFuture launched the sign initiative, naming the Allegheny County Health Department an air pollution scofflaw for its failure to post the required signs. PennFuture is also asking local citizens to help identify air pollution scofflaws by reporting facilities without the right signs. Citizens can log on to www.breatheseasystayhealthy.org and click on “dirty diesel” to report violations, to download a fact sheet on the law, and to download a copy of the legally required sign.
PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization, founded in 1998. PennFuture's activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state and federal courts, advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level, public education and assisting citizens in public advocacy.