Center for Innovative Diplomacy Archive

In a move hailed by environmentalists and decried by many high-tech manufacturers, the Irvine City Council voted 4-1 last night to severely restrict the use of ozone-depleting chemicals within the city's limits. 

The measure, which will affect everything from the way air conditioners are serviced to how computers are manufactured, is one of the nation's toughest. 

"This ordinance is a landmark," said Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, who first proposed theordinance last May. "It's the most far-reaching of its kind in the country."