For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Please Contact: Ricja Rice, Esq., (518) 455-2580
rrice@nysenate.gov [5]
SENATOR PARKER PROMOTES SALES OF LOW-EMISSION AND ENERGY EFFICIENT VEHICLES
(Albany, NY) Today, Senator Kevin S. Parker (D-Brooklyn) passed a bill out of the New York State Senate’s Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, which if passed, would help stimulate the sales of low-emission and energy efficient vehicles..
Senator Parker’s bill, S.1054, provides a tax incentive for New York businesses and residents to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles, thus decreasing our carbon footprint and likely lead to fewer ozone alert days in New York’s urban areas. Furthermore, an increase in fuel efficiency will not only improve air quality but also reduce New York’s dependence on foreign sources of oil.
“The pollutants in vehicle emissions are known to damage lung tissue, and can lead to or aggravate respiratory diseases such as asthma,” said Senator Parker. “By exempting low-emission, energy efficient vehicles from state sales and compensating use taxes, we are striking back against preventable respiratory diseases that imperil the health of our youth and seniors.”
Motor vehicles are the largest source of 3 pollutants that effect air quality: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Approximately 33% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of gasoline in internal-combustion engines of cars and light trucks. For each gallon of gas a vehicle consumes, 19.6 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted into the air. If 10,000 hybrid electric commercial vehicles were on the road in New York City rather than current standard vehicles, substantial reductions in emissions and fuel use would occur annually, including:
• Smog-causing emissions (nitrogen oxides) would be reduced by 1,700 tons, the equivalent of taking passenger cars off New York City roads for 25 days.
• Carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 83,000 tons, which is equivalent to planting 2 million trees.
• Diesel fuel usage would be reduced by 7.2 million gallons, which requires 1 million barrels of crude oil to produce.
“In a time when the Clean Air Act is under attack in Washington, it is particularly important for us to make a commitment to improve air quality throughout New York, and especially here in New York City,” said Senator Parker. “Promoting the use of low-emission, energy efficient vehicles is the least we can do to help the tens of thousands of New Yorkers suffering from debilitating respiratory illnesses,” continued the Senator, adding “this is a critical step in achieving cleaner air and a healthier environment.”
About Senator Kevin Parker
Senator Kevin S. Parker is committed to restoring the overall quality of life for the constituents of the 21st Senatorial District in Brooklyn. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Senator Parker has been a Flatbush resident for more than 30 years. Having been nurtured, schooled and employed in the district, Senator Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of ethnically diverse community that consists of 311,000 constituents in several communities that include: Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington and Borough Park.
