TUCSON, Ariz. Motor Coach Industries has signed on as a major sponsor of a cross country tour by a group of scholars who will highlight environmental conservation, use of public lands, and national progress towards a more sustainable future.

The tour, which begins June 12 in Washington, D.C. and includes nearly 40 states, is being organized by the Morris K. Udall Foundation, which was established by Congress 15 years ago to honor former Arizona Rep. Morris Udall's 30-year legacy of public service and environmental activism.

The foundation, which is based in Tucson, awards merit-based scholarships, fellowships and internships to students studying the environment and Native American policy. It also is the home to the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution and other environment-related programs.

The Udall Legacy Tour is taking 13 Udall scholars on a 54-day, "eco-journey," covering 8,606 miles to promote innovative environmental public-service activities in 26 cities, plus six national parks and six Native American communities.

The scholars will be riding the first MCI J4500 LX-model coach equipped with a 2007 reduced-emissions Caterpillar engine. For the trip, the coach will use 20-percent biodiesel and 80-percent ultra-low-sulfur diesel blended fuel.

Caterpillar also is a sponsor of the trip.

When the tour reaches Burlington, Vt., on June 20, the Udall team will be on hand for the launch of the University of Vermont "Green Coach Certification" program. The program is aimed at demonstrating the viability of using biodiesel fuel by the motorcoach industry.

Dave Kestenbaum, senior program manager for the UV Tourism Data Center, said motorcoach operator Lamoille Valley Transportation of Morrisville, Vt., will be awarded the universitys first Green Coach Certification.

Lamoille Valley and the universitys Rubenstein School for the Environment and Natural Resources will be responsible for furthering emissions research during the Udall Tour.

MCI Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Patricia Ziska said MCI was participating in the tour because it wants to promote the concept that motorcoach travel is both environmentally friendly and luxurious.

"Passengers can sit back and relax, work on their computers, watch the news or whatever, and theyre in a much more comfortable environment than their car," she said, adding that fully occupied motorcoaches use less energy per passenger mile than planes, trains or automobiles.

The tour ends Aug. 4 in Tucson. Real-time data about the performance of the coach, along with video blogs, will be posted on the Udall Foundation Website, www.udall.gov, which also includes the complete itinerary and information about specific activities at each stop.