NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUBJECT:
Environmental Quality in Schools

PURPOSE:
To seek testimony about the environmental health issues and hazards in school buildings as well as actions to increase environmental quality in schools.

Tuesday
May 10, 2011
10:00am
Roosevelt Hearing Room C
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248

Recognizing the importance to maintain a safe, secure and healthy school environment for all school children, the New York State Board of Regents in 1994 adopted guiding principles about environmental quality in schools. Among those principles are the right to a safe and healthy learning environment and the right for every child, parent, and school employee to be informed about environmental health issues and hazards in their school facilities. In furtherance of these objectives, numerous pieces of legislation have been introduced to address specific environmental issues which include removing materials that contain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in schools, conforming the environmental impact analyses required of leased school buildings with state standards, creating "green building" requirements, and other proposals aimed at improving the school health environment.

The Committee on Education seeks testimony about environmental issues and hazards in school buildings as well as potential actions that may be undertaken by school officials and appropriate public agencies in order to increase the environmental quality in schools.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Hon. Catherine T. Nolan
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Education




PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Environmental Quality in the Schools are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, email or fax it to:

Diane Girouard
Committee Assistant
Assembly Committee on Education
Room 1147 - AESOB
Albany, New York 12248
Email: girouardd@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4881
Fax: (518) 455-4128
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I plan to attend the following public hearing on Environmental Quality in the Schools to be conducted by the Assembly Committee on Education on May 10, 2011.
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I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to 10 minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.
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I will address my remarks to the following subjects:




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I do not plan to attend the above hearing.
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I would like to be added to the Committee's mailing list for notices and reports.
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I would like to be removed from the Committee's mailing list.
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I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:




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