FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

COMMENT ON GOVERNOR PATAKI's STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS: PATAKI AND NEW YORK IN FOREFRONT OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

(Albany, NY, January 5, 2005)

Governor Pataki today signed an Executive Order that requires all state agencies and authorities in New York State to begin using "environmentally preferable (green) products" for institutional facility cleaning. In addition in his annual State of the State message he also announced he is submitting new legislation to require all public and private schools to similarly begin using greener, healthier cleaning products.

QUOTES:

"These two initiatives put Governor Pataki and New York State at the forefront nationally in addressing school environmental health," said Claire Barnett, Executive Director, Healthy Schools Network, whose organization has offered information and technical assistance on "green cleaning and maintenance" to parents, personnel, schools, and organizations since 1998. "We are committed to working with the Governor, members of the legislature, education leaders, schools, and parents and personnel to achieve healthier schools for all children."

Added Stephen Boese, NYS Director, Healthy Schools Network, "This is a highly cost-effective and environmentally responsible step that will reduce toxics used by custodians in schools and by agencies. It will help improve indoor air quality and promote healthier building operations."

Commented Arthur Weissman, President and CEO, Green Seal, Washington, DC, a national not for profit environmental labeling and consumer education organization, "We applaud Governor Pataki's initiative. It is critical to create uniform specifications that will ensure high quality and environmentally responsible product purchasing, and drive market changes, such as the efforts underway in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and other states."

HISTORY OF EFFORTS IN NEW YORK, 1996- 2005:

New York State moved to address the greening of schools with funds to replace New York City schools' 300 polluting coal-fired boilers in 1996 with cleaner, energy efficient systems. In 1997, the state enacted comprehensive legislation to improve existing school buildings, including state record keeping systems; in 2000, to reduce pesticide use; in 2002, to seal and remediate or eliminate arsenic-treated wood; and in 2004, to ban highly toxic elemental mercury in schools.

In 2003, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, supported by a US Department of Energy grant, developed online continuing education credits for state-licensed architects and engineers in "high performance school design". Healthy Schools Network served as an advisor to the project, and subsequently co-sponsored fourteen community-based workshops statewide on school design and children's health in spring 2004. In fall 2004, NYSERDA President Peter Smith and Education Commissioner Richard Mills agreed to a joint project for the greening of the state's school construction manual, a landmark collaboration celebrated by Healthy Schools Network at its October 2004 Benefit Reception at Four Times Square, NY, NY.

Healthy Schools Network is a national not for profit environmental health organization dedicated to ensuring that every child has an environmentally healthy school that is clean and in good repair, through research, information, and advocacy. Its Clearinghouse has offered information and assistance to parents and schools in every state, helping some schools to win US EPA awards. It supports policy reforms and funds to address school environments in New York and federally with state and national partner organizations through the national Coalition for Healthier Schools. It has secured ongoing School Maintenance and Repair appropriations in New York, and helped to win $1.2 billion in federal funds to repair schools, as well as the enactment of the federal Healthy and High Performance Schools provisions signed into law by President Bush in No Child Left Behind.

Barnett has chaired two US EPA task forces on school environments (2002, 2004) and co-chaired the Schools Policy Panel of the prestigious 9th International Triennial Conference on Indoor Air in Monterey, CA in 2002.