Pa. Plan To Repeal Environmental-Safety Rules Criticized

The health of Pennsylvania students could get lost in a "bureaucratic shuffle" if state officials go ahead with plans to drop a set of rules governing environmental safety in schools, a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official said last week.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection intends to repeal provisions that require the agency to monitor heating and ventilation, building safety, rodent control, and trash collection in public schools.

Chris Novak, a spokeswoman for the department, said the proposed repeal is part of an effort by Republican Gov. Tom Ridge's administration to eliminate...