Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Air Quality

Senator Decries Bronx Asthma Crisis Then Rejects Pricing

nytimes_westside.jpg


It turns out that pollution-related heart and lung problems aren't just for poor kids in the Bronx anymore. From yesterday's New York Times:

A study that used the mass of data included in the Women's Health Initiative found that women who lived in communities with relatively high levels of air pollution in the forms of tiny particles -- aka soot -- were far more likely to die because of heart attacks than women who lived in cleaner air. Results were published in February in The New England Journal of Medicine.Cars, trucks, and diesel buses - the main culprits in the creation of particle pollution - spew untold millions of the microscopic pollutants into the air daily. Exercisers should take precautions against particles, experts said, by not exerting themselves near traffic, or, if they must use a path next to a highway, staying a few hundred yards away from vehicles.

Meanwhile, in related news, Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Richard Lipsky's Neighborhood Retail Alliance are holding a press conference on the steps of City Hall this Sunday, 11:30 am to protest "the failure" of Mayor Bloomberg's congestion picing plan "to address the air quality in those neighborhoods that are experiencing a severe asthma problem." Diaz, Sr. says:

With all due respect to environmentalists, I cannot understand how these plans can be made without an environmental impact study being conducted first. There are many questions that have been left unanswered, and we need to have a thorough review of the matter before implementing any plan of action.

Photo: Richard Perry/The New York Times

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Cyclist: Cop Pulled a Taser During Summons Chase

In a dramatic escalation of the NYPD's criminal crackdown on bike riders, a police officer pulled a stun gun while chasing a cyclist for allegedly running a red light on a regular bike.

May 30, 2025

Albany Pols Seize the Helm(et)

Helmet laws remain controversial — they're the "common-sense" approach pushed by lawmakers who ignore that studies show they don't improve safety.

May 30, 2025

Tisch Reveals Real Reason for Her E-Bike Crackdown: E-Bike Licensing

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch doubles down on her cycling criminalization campaign, saying e-bike licensing is the only other option.

May 30, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: A ‘Critical’ Moment Edition

Cyclists will protest against the NYPD's bike crackdown with a Critical Mass ride to City Hall on Friday. Plus more news.

May 30, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Astoria’s Big Beautiful 31st Avenue Bike Boulevard

Streetsblog paid a visit to New York City's widest on-street protected bike lane ever, which is up and running in Astoria.

May 30, 2025
See all posts