Can the typically smog-belching diesel engine actually help launder the state’s fouled air? The South Coast Air Quality Management District will deal with that question this week. The issue at hand is whether, as the AQMD proposes, regional school districts must go with the cleanest available technology, or whether, largely for the sake of economy, the diesel engine will continue to power most school buses.The main proponents of the “clean diesel” alternative happen to be connected to both a major diesel-engine manufacturer and the West‘s major refiner of low-sulfur diesel fuel. Their spokespeople contend that modern technology can, via cleaner fuel and exhaust filters, make a much cleaner diesel engine. While admittedly not as clean as the preferred compressed-natural-gas (CNG) alternative, such engines are substantially cheaper. The industry’s key argument is that the money saved could be used for other educational items.
Source: Kiddie Diesel | L.A. Weekly