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

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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: