Clean Diesel

* “Clearing the Air on Diesel Fuel” (Commentary, March 17) gave the mistaken impression that the Planning and Conservation League supports the continued use of diesel fuel in all fleets. Diesel exhaust has been identified as a toxic air contaminant, and the particles it produces are implicated in increased risk of cancer and serious respiratory diseases such as asthma. For that reason, PCL does not believe that diesel use is appropriate in light-duty cars and trucks or in densely populated areas and around sensitive populations, like children. Therefore, alternative fuels like compressed natural gas make much more sense in school buses and for urban mass transit. There is not a diesel bus produced today that can meet the lower emissions of CNG.

Diesel fuel will continue to power heavy-duty trucks and heavy machinery for uses like construction and agriculture for the foreseeable future. For that reason it must be as clean as possible.

SANDRA SPELLISCY

General Counsel

Planning and Conservation League

Sacramento