California school transporters have begun to fight back against charges by environmentalists that riding in a school bus increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer.

Calling the recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council bogus, the California School Transportation officials (CASTO) have issued a statement disputing the validity of charges and the methodology of the study. CASTO says the charges are part of a campaign by environmentalists to ban diesel buses altogether in favor of school buses powered by compressed natural gas.

The statement said the environmental broadside is part of a political agenda that has nothing to do with school buses and more to do with frightening parents into losing confidence in the state's pupil transportation system.

CASTO President Larry Laxon said, "Our industry is not deaf to environmental concerns and believes we all must do our part to conserve resources and improve air quality." He said his association supports the move toward alternate fuels, and cites the fact that "since the early 1990's our industry has participated in alternative fuel demonstration programs. With $100 million funded by the California Legislature, 826 older diesel-powered buses were replaced with cleaner-buring diesel and alterantive fueled models."

Recently California Gov. Gray Davis approved a $50 million grant to purchase 375 new school buses, and retrofit 1,875 existings buses with more low-emission diesel and CNG school buses. CASTO said the environmentalits charges are a veiled attempt to order acquisiton of CNG buses with the governor's grant. CASTO noted that CNG buses are 30 percent more costly than buses powered with the new generation of clean burning diesel engines.

Laxon stressed the safety record of school bus transportation in California. He said, "Riding in a California school bus is nearly 100 times safer than riding in any other vehicle." He noted, "Over the last decade, we have averaged zero fatalities to children who ride with us."