De Blasio admin lukewarm on air quality measures
David Giambusso
A raft of air quality measures currently under review in the City Council received lukewarm reviews from Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration today, with city administrators complaining the four bills are too expensive or too redundant.
The bills call for the establishment of an air quality task force, better monitoring for portable-generator emissions, better air quality monitoring for busy thoroughfares and an improved alert system for days when ozone levels and pollution pose a significant risk to people with respiratory ailments, the elderly and children.
In testimony before the committee, Angela Licata, the deputy commissioner for sustainability at the city's Department of Environmental Protection, said the four measures were either too costly, redundant, or difficult to implement in the timeframe given.
The alert bill, co-sponsored by Public Advocate Letitia James, would improve alerts and incentivize working from home on sweltering days when air quality is particularly bad.
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/05/8545302/de-blasio-admin-lukewarm-air-quality-measures?top-featured-1
