Encore bus idling
November 13, 2019 (BOSTON, MA) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has notified operators of Encore Casino shuttle buses that the organization intends to sue for Clean Air Act violations. In addition to Encore and its shuttle contractors Academy Express, LLC, DPV Transportation, Inc., and Boston Charter Bus, LLC, CLF also separately plans to sue Paul Revere Transportation, LLC for similar violations.
“The casino is a brand-new neighbor, and it’s already wearing out its welcome,” said Alyssa Rayman-Read, Vice President and 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.”
CLF has found these companies’ vehicles frequently violating laws regulating prolonged vehicle idling, releasing harmful exhaust that includes benzene, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. When inhaled, this exhaust can cause lung damage, aggravate conditions like asthma and bronchitis, and has been linked to increased incidence of heart disease, multiple kinds of cancer, and premature death. Children are particularly susceptible to these harms.
Encore owner Wynn Resorts and the resort’s shuttle operators—Academy Express, DPV Transportations, and Boston Charter Bus – provide shuttle buses for resort customers and employees, connecting the Everett resort with locations in Medford, Malden, Chinatown, Chelsea, and elsewhere. CLF observed their vehicles frequently idling for prolonged periods in densely populated residential areas, including locations near schools.
CLF has also found prolonged idling by the Paul Revere company, which operates a variety of shuttle buses in the Boston area. These buses have been observed idling extensively in Roxbury both at their lot on Reading St. and at the Ruggles MBTA station. Paul Revere is a repeat offender of idling laws. It has twice paid federal penalties for violating Massachusetts’ idling regulations in 2002 and 2009.
CLF’s notice letter to the Encore companies and shuttles can be found here. The Paul Revere notice is here.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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