April 22, 2004

CLEAN CARS BILL PASSES THE HOUSE

State Representative Robert Megna (D - New Haven), and State Rep. Juan Candelaria (D- New Haven) are pleased to announce today’s passage of the Clean Cars Bill from House of Representatives. The bill would require the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to implement California’s low emission vehicle II program. State Rep. Megna is a co-sponsor of the bill and introduced it on the floor of the House today.

"This bill is a positive step towards lessening the dangers of high emissions pollutants in New Haven and will thereby positively effect the health of the people of our city. Daily, thousands of cars pass through the city. Those who must contend with respiratory ailments, asthma and the like must then also contend with the preventable air pollutants from car emissions. This bill will help to turn that around and protect young children and others who have to struggle with emissions pollutants daily, and could decrease their need for healthcare," Rep. Megna said.

"Auto emissions has been a significant problem in our cities especially and a city like New Haven is no exception. Deteriorating health, especially for people with asthma and other respiratory health problems has been a result. This bill will help to diminish the problem and will contribute to decreasing the health risk that these emissions pollutants bring about. I am proud to support the measure," Rep. Candelaria said.

Developed to generate motor vehicle emissions reductions, the program has been hailed as one of the most effective in the country. It would be implemented as a part of Connecticut’s fulfillment of the federal Clean Air Act. The bill requires the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to implement the program by January 1st, 2005 and would be applicable to motor vehicles with a model year of 2007 or later.

Having passed in the Senate the bill now move on to the governor’s desk for passage into law.