A Boston-based environmental group has threatened to file a lawsuit unless it sees an end to “excessive idling” by shuttle buses wait for passengers at Encore Boston Harbor, O’Hare Airport and other locations in and around the city. They Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) says the transportation companies are violating the federal Clean Air Act as well as state regulations that prohibit excessive vehicle idling, which spews exhaust fumes containing pollutants such as benzene, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, the Boston Globe reported.
“The casino is a brand-new neighbor, and it’s already wearing out its welcome,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, director of CLF Massachusetts. “There’s no excuse for shuttle buses sitting in already vulnerable neighborhoods pumping toxic fumes into the air. These companies must prove that they care about the health of their neighbors and put an end to this dangerous, unlawful idling immediately.”
Officials from Wynn Resorts promised they would ensure their shuttles comply with the law. The casino’s 16 buses and other shuttles are operated by DPV Transportation, a charter service based in Everett.
“We spoke to our provider about eliminating idling,” Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts. “We will work with them to ensure compliance. We believe our commitment to a clean environment is clear.”
But the foundation said it has observed Wynn shuttles violating the law “on many occasions” in the city and environs. CLF says it will seek the maximum penalties allowed under the law—nearly $100,000 a day—unless Wynn Resorts and Paul Revere Transportation comply within two months.
Madeleine Scammell, an associate professor of environmental health at Boston University, called it “disappointing” that the casino’s shuttles are spreading pollution in an area already dealing with smog from heavy traffic and industry.
“It is a well-established fact that vehicle exhaust is bad to breathe,” Scammell said. “That is why there are laws meant to prevent emissions.”
The same emissions are also a primary cause of global warming, she noted.
Shuttle drivers who spoke to the Globe seemed unconcerned about the issue. One driver, Rodney Jamble, said he usually sits in his bus at the station for seven or eight minutes between runs. If he shut the bus off, that would often mean sitting in the cold or the heat. “This is what we do,” he said.
“Nobody has told us that we shouldn’t idle,” shuttle bus driver Carol Tilton said as she waited for passengers with her engine running.
