NRDC: No Breathing in the Aisles: Diesel Exhaust Inside School ...

Sample Letter to Elected Officials
[Date]
Dear Governor and Elected Officials:
I am writing to urge you to set aside funds in our state/federal budget for the purchase of clean
alternative fuel school buses.
Diesel exhaust has been identified by a growing number of health agencies, including the
Environmental Protection Agency, as a substance known or likely to cause cancer. In
addition, diesel particles contribute to premature deaths, increase the severity of respiratory
illnesses, and exacerbate asthmatic conditions. Children are among those most at risk from
the hazards of diesel exhaust, yet school bus fleets include some of the oldest and most
polluting buses on our roads today. What’s more, I am concerned about a recent study that
found schoolchildren may be exposed to as much as four times more pollution when riding
inside a diesel school bus than when riding in a car right in front of that same bus.
Our children should be riding on the cleanest buses available, but our school districts have
limited budgets and cannot always carry the incremental costs associated with a conversion to
cleaner, alternative fuel buses. By making public funds available to school districts for the
purchase of cleaner alternative fuel school buses, you will help to protect our children, while
also ensuring that school districts do not have to choose between clean buses and educational
materials. The state of California, with the help of Governor Davis, set aside $50 million
dollars in its 2000–2001 budget for the purchase of cleaner school buses. I urge you to follow
California’s lead and set aside funds to clean up our school bus fleets.
Please stand up for our children by making available the necessary funds for school districts to
purchase alternative fuel powered school buses. Our children are worth the investment.
Sincerely,
57