School Districts Required To Run Cleaner Buses

"This week, air quality officials passed a rule requiring school districts in Los Angeles County and some surrounding areas to phase out diesel buses and replace them with buses using cleaner-burning fuel. The new law, which may set a precedent for the entire nation, aims to lower air pollution and reduce children's exposure to cancer-causing diesel particulates. Air quality officials hope that the rule will remove a total of 6 tons of diesel particulates from area air by 2006. Opponents of the decision include diesel fuel producers and school officials who are concerned that the expensive alternative-fuel buses could exhaust money for books and computers. Supporters say that money needed for the conversion will be funded by state and federal grants. It will cost an estimated $300 million to convert the area's 8,200 diesel buses."