Sec 15-349. Operation of motor vehicle fleet; options to conventional fuels

A. The governing board of a school district with an average daily membership as defined in section 15-901 of more than three thousand that is located within or that has bus routes running within area A as defined in section 49-541 shall develop and implement, subject to the availability of a state air quality funding source, a vehicle fleet plan for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least seventeen thousand five hundred pounds for the purpose of encouraging the use of fuels listed pursuant to this subsection in school district owned vehicles. The plan shall provide for at least fifty per cent of the fleet with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least seventeen thousand five hundred pounds to operate on any of the following by December 31, 2004, and each year thereafter:

1. Alternative fuels or clean burning fuels as defined in section 1-215.

2. Ultra low sulfur diesel fuel as defined in section 49-558.01 that is used in an engine with an emission control device.

3. Vehicles powered by an engine that meets or exceeds an emission standard for diesel particulate matter of 0.05 grams per brake horsepower hour.

B. Engine retrofits or conversions meet the requirements of subsection A of this section if they have been approved for use by any one of the following:

1. The United States environmental protection agency voluntary retrofit program.

2. The United States environmental protection agency verification protocol for retrofit catalyst particulate filter and engine modification control technologies for highway and nonroad use diesel engines.

3. The California air resources board diesel emission control strategy verification procedure.

4. Sections 43100 and 43102 of the health and safety code of the state of California.

5. Actual emission testing performed on the vehicle.

C. This section does not preclude a school district from using any local, federal or private funding sources that may be available in order to comply with the requirements of this section.

D. If the requirements of subsection A of this section are met by the use of clean burning fuel as defined in section 1-215, vehicle equivalents under those requirements shall be calculated as follows:

1. One vehicle equivalent for every four hundred fifty gallons of neat biodiesel or two thousand two hundred fifty gallons of a diesel fuel substitute prescribed in section 1-215, paragraph 7, subdivision (b).

2. One vehicle equivalent for every five hundred thirty gallons of the fuel prescribed in section 1-215, paragraph 7, subdivision (d).