No state received an A in a recent nationwide report on school bus pollution and cleanup programs.
Read “School Bus Pollution Report Card 2006: Grading the States,” posted by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The report, released by the Washington-based Union of Concerned Scientists, gave letter grades to all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the soot emissions of their buses. 16 states received B’s, while 17 received the worst grade, D.
The group used ratings such as “good,” “average,” and “poor” to rank the states on the secondary categories of cleanup programs and smog pollution. Only Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Nevada, and New York ranked above the national average in all three categories.
According to the report, high levels of diesel exhaust and soot can lead to a higher risk for asthma, cancer, and other health problems.