HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – A school bus company that operates locally will have to pay over $1 million in a settlement for excessively idling in environmental justice areas.
Lottery drawing for three affordable homes in Holyoke during community event According to the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) , Durham School Services and its parent company, National Express, will pay $1.4 million for excessive idling in Holyoke and Worcester.
“There is a reason why Massachusetts has laws prohibiting excessive idling—tailpipe pollution poses serious risks to the health of our communities and the environment,” said Chelsea Kendall, CLF staff attorney. “But for laws to be effective, the companies that violate them must be held accountable. This settlement will result in cleaner air for families in Holyoke and Worcester.”
The lawsuit says that the buses were emitting harmful exhaust that could lead to breathing problems in the two cities. Breathing this in can damage the lungs, worsen conditions such as asthma and bronchitis, and is associated with reduced cognitive function, higher rates of heart disease, various cancers, and premature death, according to the CLF.
The bus company will also have to improve driver training and send $1 million for a transition to electric buses. The company will also pay $290,000 to Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts and Nuestras Raíces to promote electrification and retrofit projects in Worcester triple-deckers and to help fund new community gardens, urban green spaces, and greenhouses in Holyoke.
“Our communities deserve access to energy-efficient technologies that protect the air we breathe without fearing displacement,” said Dálida Rocha, Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts. “The funding from this settlement will enable us to support equitable upgrades for our communities, ensuring that renters can stay in their homes while safeguarding our air quality and climate.”
“These funds will allow us to secure vital community gardening infrastructure for our community to produce food and reduce the levels of emissions impacting our neighborhoods,” said Hilda Roque, Executive Director for Nuestras Raíces. “The funds will also strengthen the season extension capacity of our 30-acre urban farm while lowering the carbon footprint through a community food waste diversion program.”
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