MOTION ON NOTICE

At the Council meeting of January 15, 2002, Councillor Bass submitted the following Notice of Motion, which was recognized by the Chair.

Immediately Placing in Service TransLink's 50 Natural-Gas Buses (File: 5554)

WHEREAS, TransLink is in possession of 50 natural-gas buses whose exhaust is much more friendly to the environment and to humans than is that of diesel buses;

AND WHEREAS, the 50 natural gas buses are not in service because of budget shortfalls;

AND WHEREAS, diesel buses are being used by TransLink instead of the natural-gas buses;

AND WHEREAS, diesel buses contribute excessive quantities of smog-causing nitrogen oxides and excessive quantities of particulate matter, both of which likely contribute to chronic lung disease, lung cancer, heart disease and the rising incidence of asthma;

AND WHEREAS, a 1997 study by the Crown Corporation Secretariat on BC Transit fuel choices determined that particulates and nitrogen oxides have the greatest impact on air quality in the GVRD and are most associated with health concerns;

AND WHEREAS, diesel exhaust has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and by the US Environmental Protection Agency;

AND WHEREAS, a November 23, 2000 report to Council noted that the GVRD should take steps to "work together with other agencies and levels of government to encourage programs which will reduce future diesel particulate matter emissions";

AND WHEREAS, one fifth of all buses now in production are natural gas buses, which are substantially less polluting than are diesel buses;

AND WHEREAS, the cost of operating the 50 natural-gas buses is estimated to be between $12,000 and $20,000 per bus per year;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Vancouver City Council request TransLink to:

A. give full weight to health and environmental considerations before implementing future cost-cutting measures; and

B. immediately place in service its 50 natural-gas buses.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver