Indoor air quality in our schools is a national problem–the air inside a typical school may be two to five times–and occasionally 100 times–more polluted than outdoor air. A General Accounting Office (GAO) study showed that an estimated 25 million students are attending schools with at least one environmental system in unsatisfactory condition. State legislators in Indiana, with the help of the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) (Alexandria, VA) are taking steps to correct this problem are providing a model for other states to follow.
NEMI’s John Hamilton provided compelling testimony for the initiative on Feb. 13, 2002. This bill proposes a program of annual testing conducted by the State Health Department to identify and improve poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools to safeguard the health of all who occupy them. In addition, the bill, SC–407, establishes guidelines for air quality in our schools and allows concerned citizens request testing of school air quality by local health officials.