2011

APRIL 27, 2011: AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IN VERMONT STATE OF THE AIR PRESS CONFERENCE AT STATEHOUSE - MUNICIPAL AND BUSINESS FLEETS AWARDED FOR ADOPTING IDLING REDUCTION POLICIES
12 fleet operators -- 10 municipal (town Depts. of Public Works and Highway Depts.) and two business -- received plaques from the American Lung Association (ALA) in Vermont recognizing them for adopting idling reduction policies as part of the ALA's Vermont Idle-Free Fleets program. Speaking at the ALA's State of the Air Statehouse press conference were Kent Booraem, ALA in Vermont leadership board member, Rebecca Ryan, ALA in Vermont Director of Health Promotions and Public Policy, Dick Valentinetti, Agency of Natural Resources, Director of Air Pollution Control Div., Wayne Michaud, Vermont Idle-Free Fleets coordinator, and Addison County Rep. David Sharpe. The event was covered on Fox44 News and ABC22 News, in addition to mention by WCAX News of Vermont’s grades from the State of the Air Report. It was also covered by VTDigger.com. In the photo accepting plaques are a mix of Representatives, Senators, and Town Administrators, plus Wayne Michaud.

APRIL 18, 2011: IDLING AWARENESS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR WDEV
Wayne Michaud, Idle-Free VT director, recorded an idling awareness psa at the Radio Vermont WDEV studios in Waterbury, VT. WDEV AM550 and FM96.1, along with its sister station, WLVB 93.9 FM will run these and other spots to help educate motorists about unnecessary idling.

MARCH 18, 2011: DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS & GENERAL SERVICE ADOPTS VEHICLE IDLING POLICY
The Vermont Dept. of Buildings & General Servcies - Fleet Management Services adopted a Vehicle Idling Policy.

MARCH 18, 2011: 2,500 NEW IDLE-FREE VT FLYERS DELIVERED TO DMV
A fresh batch of 2,500 newly designed Idle-Free VT club flyers were delivered to DMV Deputy Commissioner Howard Deal in Montpelier. They will be on display in DMV office locations in Bennington, Burlington, Dummerston, Middlebury, Montpelier (Main Office), Newport, Rutland, Springfield, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury, and White River Junction to educate Vermont motorists in avoiding unnecessary idling. A total of 5,000 flyers were printed -- on recycled paper. Printing cost was donated by the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club. These flyers and other materials are available for downloading and printing on the IDLING FACTS HANDOUTS page.

MARCH 10, 2011: THE HERALD OF RANDOLPH: "AN IDLE CAR IS OF THE DEVIL: 'JUST SAY NO' TO ENGINE IDLING"
Mary Margaret Breed, staff reporter for The Herald, wrote an article about the harm and waste of car and truck idling.

FEBRUARY 24, 2011: SENATOR CLAIRE AYER INTRODUCES A HEAVY-DUTY IDLING BILL
Sen. Claire Ayer introduced S.81 - an act relating to idling of heavy-duty motor vehicles, as a companion bill to the already introduced H.154.

FEBRUARY 9, 2011: GREEN MOUNTAIN OUTLOOK & FEBRUARY 12: THE EAGLE: "TOWNS TARGET DIESEL-TRUCK IDLING"
Green Mountain Outlook and The Eagle, Rutland- and Middlebury-based weekly newpapers, responding to the American Lung Association's press release about their Vermont Idle-Free Fleets program, published an article on truck diesel idling. The program shows business and municipal fleet operators the health and economic benefits of reducing unnecessary idling and adopting idling reduction policies.

FEBRUARY 8, 2011: LAND LINE MAGAZINE: "VERMONT BILL WOULD IMPOSE IDLING RESTRICTIONS"
Land Line Magazine, a national business magazine for professional truckers and the official publication of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assoc., published an article about the Vermont legislature considering a truck idling law, written by Keith Goble, Land Line state legislature editor.

FEBRUARY 2, 2011: TIMES ARGUS: "WHY WE NEED AN IDLING LAW"
The Times Argus published a guest op-ed by Wayne Michaud, Director of Idle-Free VT telling of the success of UPS's fuel efficiency/no idling policy, why diesels can idle much less now than they needed to decades ago, and asks for support of H.154.

FEBRUARY 1, 2011: REPRESENTATIVE DAVID SHARPE INTRODUCES A HEAVY-DUTY IDLING BILL
Rep. David Sharpe introduced H.154 - an act relating to idling of heavy-duty motor vehicles.

JANUARY 25, 2011: MEETING WITH DMV ENFORCEMENT AT NATIONAL LIFE GROUP, MONTPELIER
Rebecca Ryan, Director, Health Promotions and Public Policy, American Lung Association in Vermont, organized a meeting with the DMV enforcement arm seeking their support of truck idling legislation. Present besides Ms. Ryan were Tom Moye, Mobile Sources Section Chief of DEC Air Pollution Control Div., Wayne Michaud, Director of Idle-Free VT, Gina Campoli, Environmental Policy Manager of VTrans, Glen Button, director of DMV enforcement, and DMV Capt. Jake Elovirta.

JANUARY 24, 2011: WCAX CHANNEL 3 NEWS, BURLINGTON: VERMONT'S UNEVEN IDLING LAWS
Idling in Vermont is restricted in Burlington, when school buses are idling on school grounds, and prohibited for vehicles idling while unattended in public. WCAX video report shows interviews with mortorist whose vehicle is illegally idling while unattended, Rebecca Ryan of the American Lung Association, who talks about the negative health impacts of idling, and Jeff Cook of Yipes Stripes which sells remote vehicle starters that encourage unnecessary idling.

JANUARY 13, 2011: ADDISON INDEPENDENT: "AVOID UNNECESSARY IDLING ON COLD DAYS TOO"
Laura Asermily of Middlebury (and a VCRVI member), submitted an article for the Addison Independent about how to avoid excessive idling during wintertime when warming up or being parked in town. The Town of Middlebury adopted a no idling resolution in 2007.

JANUARY 11, 2011: VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO COMMENTARY SERIES: KATHERINE BLUME: IDLE FREE
VPR commentator Katherine Blume asks us to adopt her New Year's Resolution: avoid unnecessary idling

JANUARY 10, 2011: FOX 44 NEWS, BURLINGTON: BEST WAY TO WARM UP YOUR CAR IN WINTER
Jeffery Smith, Service Director at Shearer Chevrolet in South Burlington explains why letting your car idle is a waste of time.

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2010

DECEMBER 19, 2010: SENATOR CLAIRE AYER IS INTERESTED IN SPONSORING TRUCK IDLING BILL
Sen. Claire Ayer (D-Addison District) said she was interested in sponsoring a companion medium- and heavy-duty vehicle idling reduction bill in the Senate.

DECEMBER 15, 2010: MEETING WITH SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, SHAP SMITH
Rebecca Ryan, Director, Health Promotions and Public Policy at the American Lung Association in Vermont, and David Polow, Esq., Idle-Free VT Lamoille County Coordinator and Advisor, met with Speaker of the House Shap Smith in Morrisville to discuss strategy for the passage of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle idling reduction legislation. Rep. Smith was made aware that Vermont is the lone New England state without this type of law. He fully supports this legislation and felt it would become law either in this session or the 2012 session.

DECEMBER 9, 2010: MEETING WITH REP. DAVID SHARPE RE: SPONSORING TRUCK IDLING BILL
Rebecca Ryan, Director, Health Promotions and Public Policy at the American Lung Association in Vermont, and Wayne Michaud, Director, Idle-Free VT and Coordinator of the American Lung Association's Vermont Idle-Free Fleets, met with Rep. David Sharpe (D-Addison-4) in Bristol to discuss medium- and heavy-duty vehicle idling reduction legislation. Rep. Sharpe sponsored this type of bill, H.97, in the past two sessions (for more details on past bills and sessions see the Legislature page). He agreed to sponsor a new bill and was open to suggestions on language. There was discussion about how to build support for a bill, including from fleet operators that have idling reduction policies, and to get students involved in the process as they were with successful passage of Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule. It was also suggested to get someone to sponsor a companion Senate bill. Other suggestions: the new bill title needs to be clearly defined as a truck type bill, as some legislators thought past bills would restrict idling of all motor vehicles; include language in bill findings pertaining to money savings by avoiding fuel use and engine wear.

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2010: VERMONT SCHOOL BUS IDLING RULE COMPLIANCE ISSUES
Idle-Free VT had been contacted about and observed first hand several violations of the Vermont School Bus Idling Rule, which prohibits school bus idling in the manner of "upon arrival at student loading or unloading areas on school grounds, and shall not restart the engine until the bus is loaded or unloaded and is ready to depart", and limits all idling to "five (5) minutes in a sixty (60) minute period on school grounds". In one incident, on December 13 and 16, Wayne Michaud witnessed nine school buses lined up in front of the Hinesburg Community School (PreK - 8th grade), all idling as students were boarding. The transportation director of Chittenden South Supervisory Union (CSSU) arbitrarily established a temperature exemption for when buses needed to idle. The Rule has no temperature exemption; buses are to shut off when loading or unloading students on school grounds - no exceptions. Visit the SCHOOLS page for specific Rule language and more detail on compliance issues. Idle-Free VT also received complaints of exessive school bus idling from a parent of a student at Deerfield Valley Elementary School (Wilmington) and a resident living near a school in Winooski. School authorities have been notified of these incidents.

NOVEMBER 4: BURLINGTON FREE PRESS: "GOING 'GREENER' INCLUDES LESS IDLING"
The Burlington Free Press published a "My Turn" op-ed by Wayne Michaud making the point that a part of living a "green" lifestyle is to practice vehicle idling reduction.

SEPTEMBER 8: TIMES ARGUS: "HIGH TIME TO STOP SCHOOL IDLING" and
NOVEMBER 10: BURLINGTON FREE PRESS: "IT'S TIME TO STOP SCHOOL IDLING"
By Michael J. Caduto, an award-winning Vermont author, storyteller, educator and musician. He presents environmental and cultural programs for all ages.
Visit www.p-e-a-c-e.net.

JULY 13: VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO COMMENTARY - JAY CRAVEN: "EXHAUSTED IN NANTUCKET"
Commentator, filmmaker and Marlboro College teacher Jay Craven recently attended the Nantucket film festival where the films were illuminating and the filmmakers were gracious and articulate. The only snag he encountered had nothing to do with the movies.

APRIL 2: BURLINGTON, VT RELUCTANT TO ENFORCE IDLING ORDINANCE
Burlington, the only municipality in Vermont with an enforcable idling ordinance, and which recently strengthened that ordinance, is reluctant to enforce the law, according to an article in the Burlington Free Press. John King, parking enforcement manager for the Burlington Police Department, states that the emphasis to parked idling motorists is on education and warnings. Jennifer Green, co-director of the Burlington Legacy Project, a leader in the ordinance strengthening, states that while she understands education is a large part of reducing unnecessary idling, the law must be enforced.

MARCH 10: VERMONT 10,000 LBS. IDLING RESTRICTION BILL FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD IN LEGISLATURE
H.97--an act relating to the idling of motor vehicles, did not make "crossover" from the legislative House to the Senate, mainly due to the power of the Vermont transportation lobby. A new idling restriction bill will need to be introduced in the 2011 session. As a result, Vermont remains the lone Northeastern U.S. state without a diesel idling reduction law. For more details, see the LEGISLATURE page.

FEBRUARY 17: MEETING WITH SUSTAINABLE RUTLAND
Wayne Michaud met with Jim Sabataso & Carol Tashie, Co-chairs of the Sustainable Rutland Committee, whose mission is to promote environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability throughout the Rutland region. Sustainable Rutland is an umbrella for more than 30 member Rutland regional organizations. With the issue of unnecessary idling fitting well within their health, environmental, energy conservation and economic agenda, they are gathering information to start a Rutland idle-free educational effort. Wayne talked in detail about successful campaigns in Middlebury, Burlington, Brattleboro and Lenox, MA. Jim and Carol hope their efforts lead to a mayoral proclamation, no-idle resolution and eventually a city ordinance.

FEBRUARY 14: TIMES-ARGUS: "WE NEED A NEW IDLING LAW"
The Times-Argus published an editorial by Wayne Michaud that illustrated an incident of a caravan of trucks idling while unatteneded in Montpelier, along with the myths and realities, the health impact and the economic impact of diesel engine idling. The editorial goes on to urge support for H.97, a bill that would restrict the iding of commerical vehicles in excess of 10,000 lbs.

FEBRUARY 1: ICLEI: "LESS IDLING EQUALS FORWARD PROGRESS IN BURLINGTON"
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) is a membership association of local governments committed to advancing climate protection and sustainable development. In an entry on ICLEI's Local Action blog, "Less idling equals forward progress in Burlington", Don Knapp, ICLEI Senior Communications Officer, cover's Burlington's strengthening of the city's no idling ordinance, with excerpts from the Burlington Free Press op-ed by Wayne Michaud, January 27.

JANUARY 27: BURLINGTON FREE PRESS "MY TURN": "DO THE RIGHT THING AND STOP IDLING"
The Burlington Free Press published an op-ed by Wayne Michaud that elaborates on Burlington's updated no idling ordinance and the challenges of getting cooperation on reducing idling.

JANUARY 26: ASSOCIATED PRESS: "VERMONT PANEL OKS CRACKDOWN ON TRUCK IDLING"
Lisa Rathke of the Associated Press wrote that the House Natural Resources and Energy committee passed H.97--an act relating to the idling of motor vehicles (10,000 pounds or more; mostly diesel) out of the committee in an 11-0 vote. The bill now moves on to another legislative committee (watch for this announcement on the LEGISLATURE page) for further scrutiny.

JANUARY 25: AMERCAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IN VERMONT FORMALLY LAUNCHES VERMONT IDLE-FREE FLEETS CAMPAIGN
With a statewide press release and email "blast" to fleet operators in Chittenden and Rutland counties, the American Lung Association Vermont Idle-Free Fleets campaign officially launched. Funded with a grant from the Vermont DEC, this year-long campaign's goal is to increase the number of Vermont fleet operators with idlng reduction policies by 12 or more. The campaign slogan is: Improve Our Air, Improve Your Profit. Diesel fleet operators are being targeted to consider the benefits to themselves and everyone else by adopting an idlng reduction policy like that of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters which saves $20,000 annually just by reducing idling. An informational toolkit has been developed and printed. A PowerPoint presentation has been created. Campaign coordinator Wayne Michaud is contacting companies to offer them toolkits and an in-person presentation. The American Lung Association will perform ongoing campaign outreach to the community and the media. They will also soon host a webpage for Vermont Idle-Free Fleets including an online version of the toolkit. This information will also be posted on the Idle-Free VT website.

JANUARY 11: BURLINGTON FREE PRESS STORY: "BURLINGTON RESTRICTS CAR IDLING"
Burlington Free Press Staff Writer Matt Ryan writes about Burlington's updated no idling ordinance.