Updating Our Issues...
>From the January Sierra Activist...
Of NJ's 1900 buses, 5 run on natural gas, the rest on diesel...
a fact that makes this fleet the dirtiest in the nation. Dozens
of cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles and
Syracuse are moving away from diesel, and MTA of Long Island will
replace all diesel buses by 2004. So how's NJ doing?
Disregarding clinical studies showing 20-50% of air pollution may
be attributed to diesel, NJ Transit purchased an additional 175
diesel buses last year and has plans for another 1000. NJ Transit
claims it has a difficult time keeping their 5 natural gas buses up
and running... they keep breaking down. In California, however,
Sacramento finds natural gas buses cheaper, and easier to
maintain. NYC recently bought 500 alternative fuel buses. What's
wrong with NJ?
Don't expect help from the NJ Statehouse. An attempt to phase out
the use of diesel buses by NJ transit and promote the use of alternate
fuels died recently in the NJ Assembly's Science and Environment Committee.
This package of bills giving tax incentives to encourage alternate fuels
and requiring 30% alternate fuel buses by 2010 is opposed by the oil
industry.
Here's an update & a second chance...
Assembly bill 1714 would require NJT to use alternative fuel buses.
This bill is currently in committee and is scheduled for committee
action.
Committee: Enviroment, Science and Technology Committee
Chairman: Steve Corodemus
Vantage Point, Suite 2A
Route 36 & Broadway
West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Legislative Aid: Jeffery Climpson and Lucinda Tiajoloff, 609-292-7676
Senate bill 1404 (same bill) is currently in committee and no action
is scheduled.
Committee: Transportation Committee
Chairman: Andrew Ciesla
852 Highway 70
Brick, NJ 08724
Legislative Aid: Peter Manoogian, 609-984-7381
The Sierra Club's Legislative Committee is supporting this bill (Assembly version)
as part of the "Dump Diesel/clean air campaign".
The Assembly version is likely to move, but not the Senate version because Ciesla
is opposing for unknown reasons.
It's your lungs folks... here's your chance to sound off in support
of clean air & alternative fuel buses.
Thanks,
Dennis Schvejda
Conservation Chair NJ Chapter Sierra Club
dschvejda@igc.apc.org