Buffalo Common Council Items of Interest 12/13/11

The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Council Members David A. Rivera and Darius G. Pridgen calling on the Public Bridge Authority (“PBA”) to incorporate the principles of environmental justice into any future plans for the Peace Bridge plaza and bridge expansion. The Peace Bridge is the nation’s third largest land port and about 5,000 diesel trucks and 20,000 cars pass over the Peace Bridge and through the west side of Buffalo every day. Diesel emissions have been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) as a probable human carcinogen, and emissions from diesel exhaust can lead to serious health conditions, especially in vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. A 2005 peer-reviewed study found that over 45 percent of households on the west side of Buffalo have someone with asthma or other respiratory illness. The Council maintains that it is committed to insuring a safe and healthy environment for residents throughout the City. The resolution is also encouraging collaboration among authorities regarding the distribution of truck traffic across the region’s three international bridges and is requesting that the Department of Environmental Conservation and EPA conduct continuous air monitoring on Buffalo’s lower west side; that truck stop electrification stations be included in any future plans for the Peace Bridge plaza and bridge expansion; that the PBA fund the development of green buffer zones and the planting of mature tree species known for their ability to capture pollutants; and that all other public agencies involved in modifications to the current Peace Bridge project provide meaningful opportunities for public involvement by the communities most impacted by the port.

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