Council Members Oppose Plan to Buy Diesel Buses

Citing environmental concerns, eight Los Angeles City Council members signed a letter Friday urging the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to reject MTA chief Julian Burke’s proposal to buy 2,095 diesel buses in the next six years.

The MTA board is expected to consider Burke’s proposal during a Monday afternoon meeting.

The letter, drafted by Councilman Mike Feuer, says that the council applauds the MTA’s plan to increase its fleet but urges the MTA board to stand by its commitment to purchase only buses powered by clean-burning fuels such as natural gas.

“Bus riders in the city shouldn’t have to choose between getting better bus service and getting cancer,” Feuer said. “This is an outrageous proposal from the MTA and I hope they will rethink it.”

Although Feuer said he planned to introduce the letter in the form of a motion at a council meeting Friday, only nine members showed up for the meeting, one member short of a quorum.

Eight of the nine council members present signed the letter, but Councilman Nate Holden said he wanted to think about the MTA proposal before he signed anything.

In addition to Feuer, council members who signed the letter are Cindy Miscikowski, Laura Chick, Ruth Galanter, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Mike Hernandez, Joel Wachs and Jackie Goldberg.