The following statement was issued today by Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, in response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signing into law of AB 923 (Firebaugh), which will raise up to $80 million annually to replace old diesel school buses and agricultural engines with new, cleaner ones:

"We applaud Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature for instituting this program to help school administrators and farmers retrofit older diesel equipment with newer cleaner equipment. The funding provided by AB 923, in combination with the $61 million allocated annually to the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program in the state budget, will yield major clean air benefits throughout the state.

"Today's diesel-powered trucks and buses produce eight times lower emissions than those built just 15 years ago. By 2007, on-highway diesel engines will produce near-zero emissions thanks to cleaner fuels and advanced engine technologies.

"The strong support of Governor Schwarzenegger and legislators of both parties for AB 923 and the Moyer program is testament to the cost-effectiveness of clean diesel technology as an emission reduction strategy, especially when compared to other more expensive options available."

The Diesel Technology Forum represents manufacturers of engines, fuel and emissions control systems. It brings together the diesel industry, the broad diesel user community, civic and public interest leaders, government regulators, academics, scientists, the petroleum industry and public health researchers to encourage the exchange of information, ideas, scientific findings and points-of-view to current and future uses of diesel power technology. For more information about the Forum, visit www.dieselforum.org.