Leaving vehicle engines idling is unhealthy, expensive – and often illegal

Idling vehicles are easy targets for enforcement – they’re often left running for no good reason.

By: Richard Marcantonio, University of Notre Dame, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 31, 2026

Words: 1,031

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

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By Richard Marcantonio, University of Notre Dame

A bus company that left its buses’ engines running while parked in Boston neighborhoods has settled a lawsuit by agreeing to pay US$5.6 million in damages for the resulting air pollution.

The settlement came in a citizen-enforcement lawsuit under the Clean Air Act, which allows any person to sue alleged polluters for the harm done to human health and the environment. The case was based on a …

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