Last week, the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board in California unanimously adopted new rules that would force the use of cleaner-burning alternative fuels in public vehicles in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. This rule is distinct from and even stricter than the measure passed by the California Air Resources Board in late February which gives agencies ten years to comply with tighter emissions standards (MTR #258).

The air quality board's action immediately bans the purchase of diesel buses by transit operators in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties that operate more than 100 buses. They will be allowed to purchase buses that run on natural gas, methanol, electricity or fuel cells instead. Operators with 15 to 99 buses were given until July 1, 2001, before being required to buy alternative fuel vehicles. The lone exception is for articulated buses, which can still be diesel powered. Low sulfur diesel is currently be considered by the Board and will be permitted if it can be proven to be as clean as the other fuels.

The air quality district also required public and private refuse haulers operating more than 50 garbage trucks buy alternative fuel vehicles when they add or replace vehicles in their fleets. A third rule mandates that new cars, light and medium duty trucks added to government fleets of 15 or more vehicles to meet new state low-emission standards.

The mandate emerges from the AQMD's conclusion last year that diesel emissions are responsible for most of the cancer risk in the region, which includes Riverside,San Bernardino and Orange counties. The Sacramento Bee reported that urban areas hard hit by ozone such as Houston and Dallas are looking to the California board's measure as a model for similar measures.

Complementing the regulatory approach to reducing emissions, a forum sponsored by community and economic development groups in the Bronx on June 15th brought over 30 fleet operators together to hear about fuels and vehicles that can help reduce emissions. The New York City DOT and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority gave presentations on the myriad tax credits and grants that are available to offset any capital costs in converting fleets to cleaner fuel. Fuel providers discussed designs and operations for on and off-site fuel stations and a professor from Bronx Community College described their unique CNG training program.

Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer used his keynote address at the event to delineate a ten-point plan to reduce emissions in the city. Included in his plan are mandates to convert all school buses, MTA buses, and franchise buses, medallion taxis, paratransit vehicles, and other city fleets to clean fuels. These steps would also encourage alternative fuel equipment manufacturers to develop new technologies in one of the city's economic development zones.

Meanwhile, NYC hosted the first of five nationwide hearings on the U.S. EPA proposed rule to slash the sulfur content in diesel fuel from 500 parts per million to 15 ppm last week. Speakers from elected officials' offices including NY State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, Representative Jerrold Nadler, NYC Comptroller Alan Hevesi, agency representatives from around the country, and transportation, environmental and community groups swamped the EPA with over ten hours of overwhelmingly supportive testimony.