Dear Legislator,
Did you know that today, April 19, 2004, is National Healthy Schools Awareness Day? As a part of the various activities taking place throughout the country to acknowledge this special day, we are sending you this letter with a few important attachments. The green sheet explains who we are, our history and our goals. You may remember us from last year’s session as The Canary Committee. Please note we have renamed our nonprofit organization and are now referred to as The CT Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools (ConnFESS).
It has been nearly a year since the passage of An Act Concerning Indoor Air Quality in Schools. Thirty of our members testified in favor of this legislation. Recently, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal wrote: "By passing An Act Concerning Indoor Air Quality in Schools by a virtually unanimous vote, our state legislature unequivocally expressed the policy of the state that the quality of air in Connecticut schools is of paramount importance, and that the environmental health of students and teachers cannot and will not be compromised without consequence." We could not agree more with this statement and believe it is essential that these mandates be carried out in accordance with the spirit and letter of the law. While it is early in the implementation process, we are listening closely to feedback from our members across the state and plan to share this input with you .
One of the goals listed on the green handout is to promote the Position Statement for the National Coalition for Healthier Schools. The CT Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools participated in the writing of this document which outlines priority steps officials at federal, state and local levels need to take to make schools healthier and safer places to work. Many prominent national organizations such as the National PTA, the American Public Health Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council have signed on. Within Connecticut the Position Statement has been endorsed by the Connecticut Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Lung Association of Connecticut, the Connecticut CFIDS/FM Association, the Ecological Health Organization, Toxics Action Center and the Connecticut Association for Children/Adults with Learning Disabilities. We are grateful to Senators Joseph Crisco and John McKinney as well as Representatives Robert Godfrey and Patricia Widlitz for their endorsements. We would like to invite the rest of the Connecticut General Assembly to add their names to the list, which will be posted at www.toxicsaction.org until the November elections. Simply email Alyssa@toxicsaction.org your request to be included among the endorsers for the National Coalition for Healthier Schools Position Statement.
As this legislative session approaches the May 5th deadline, we continue to monitor the progress of relevant proposed legislation such as SB220: An Act Concerning Pesticides at Schools And Day Care Centers and HB5418: An Act Concerning Electric Transmission Line Siting Criteria. The later bill would create a safety zone formula designed to protect children from the potential health risks of high voltage power lines at school, daycare centers camps and playgrounds. We encourage passage of both of these bills and appreciate your work to establish policies that safeguard the environmental health of all school occupants.
All of your efforts do help to increase the power of our message and do make a difference. Please take the time to follow up- it really matters.
Sincerely,
Joellen Lawson, President
information@pollutionfreeschools.org
Connecticut Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools (ConnFESS)
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