Carper, Capito Introduce Bill to Reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act

June 26, 2023

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(U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works/EIN Presswire) U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, along with Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), today introduced the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the DERA program through fiscal year 2029 at its current authorization level of $100 million annually.

“Since its implementation in 2005, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has been one of our nation’s most cost-effective tools for reducing diesel emissions,” said Chairman Carper. “Our bipartisan bill would ensure that the DERA program continues to deliver cleaner air, healthier communities, and economic benefits across our country. Congress has already reauthorized DERA on two other occasions. Now, I look forward to working with Senator Capito and our colleagues on again reauthorizing this commonsense, clean air program.”

“The DERA program is a commonsense example of how we can successfully address emissions using policy carrots instead of regulatory sticks,” said Ranking Member Capito. “As an original sponsor of the last reauthorization of the DERA program, I am proud to join Chairman Carper and once again lead this effort, which will help improve air quality and grow our economy at the same time.”

OUTSIDE SUPPORT:

“Diesel emissions have been dramatically reduced thanks to the bipartisan Diesel Emissions Reduction Act,” said Harold Wimmer, President & CEO of the American Lung Association. “But heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses are among the most polluting vehicles on the road and still contribute to over half of the ozone- and particle-forming emissions that are putting the health of communities at risk. We must continue efforts to eliminate the health harms from dirty trucks and buses and the DERA program is a key component of that success.”

BACKGROUND:

Senator Carper and the late Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) co-authored DERA, which became law through the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Environmental Protection Agency administers the program, which distributes federal grants, rebates, and loans to help finance the voluntary replacement or installation of retrofits on existing heavy-duty diesel vehicles and engines. By replacing or upgrading older diesel engines with newer American-made technology, the DERA program reduces diesel emissions, which protects public health and supports domestic manufacturing jobs.

The full text of the bill is available here.

A fact sheet is available here. READ MORE

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Engine Technology Forum Calls on House Leaders to Prioritize Action on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Following Senate Passage (Engine Technology Forum)
Carper, Capito Applaud Senate Passage of Bill to Reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works)

Excerpt from Engine Technology Forum: The Engine Technology Forum issued the following statement from Executive Director Allen Schaeffer following the U.S. Senate’s passage of S. 2195.

“The Engine Technology Forum urges action in the U.S. House of Representatives on H.R. 5444, an equivalent measure to extend the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act through fiscal year 2029.

“As the initial sponsor of the DERA program, Sen. Tom Carper, D-D.E., has been instrumental to this successful, bipartisan program and all the results it has achieved. His, and Sen. Shelly Moore Capito’s, R-W.V., leadership in the Senate sets the stage for consideration in the House.

“DERA provides grants and rebates to incentivize both equipment as well as vehicle owners to modernize and upgrade existing heavy-duty diesel vehicles and engines, typically reducing emissions by more than 90%. DERA is recognized as one of the most cost-effective federal clean air programs. For every dollar invested, $10 or more is returned in the form of benefits.

“With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, considerable funding is being directed toward electrification and zero emission technologies as well as fueling infrastructure for school buses along with commercial trucks and buses. These approaches are not suitable or available alternatives for all types of users, engines, vehicles, or equipment.

“Notably, DERA provides the only federal funding support to address categories of off-road engines and equipment – including marine work boats, railroad locomotives, and material handling equipment – all of which are commonly among the oldest in use. This also means they have higher emissions profiles, but they can achieve significantly lower outputs when they’re the beneficiary of DERA funding. Project requests for the DERA program have regularly exceeded funding availability, with $170 million more in project proposals submitted in 2017 and 2018 than funds available.

“In its most recent report to Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which administers the DERA program, highlighted its results over a 10-year period (2008-2018). Thanks to the $801 million in funding, the DERA program eliminated nearly half a million tons of nitrogen oxides, nearly 17 million tons of particulate matter, and more than 5.3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. These translate into approximately $8 billion in monetized health benefits.

“The DERA grant program is highly competitive and technology neutral. According to the EPA, since DERA was last reauthorized in 2020, approximately 64% of awarded grants have partially or entirely funded diesel vehicle and/or engine replacements. A total of 12% of awarded grants have partially or entirely funded electric vehicle and/or engine replacements. The remaining 24% of awarded grants have entirely funded alternative fuel vehicle and/or engine replacements.

“The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) has provided important assistance to communities as well as fleet and equipment owners to modernize existing engines and equipment. The program has given priority to projects operating in areas designated as having poor air quality, touching every state and tribal nation, U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia, providing 30% of its funding to state governments with the remainder to a highly competitive federal grant process for individual projects.

“The DERA program has funded a vast array of projects, including upgrades in the school bus sector (43%), freight/trucking (36%), construction (7%), port (5%), municipal (3%) as well as lesser numbers of projects in the agriculture, airport, and transit sectors.

“We look forward to continuing our work with leaders in the House to ensure that this beneficial, bipartisan, and cost-effective program will continue to contribute to cleaner air, lower fuel consumption, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, today applauded Senate passage of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the DERA program through fiscal year 2029 at its current authorization level of $100 million annually.

“For almost two decades, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has improved our air quality, protected public health and created good-paying domestic manufacturing jobs,” said Chairman Carper. “Our bipartisan legislation would reauthorize this common-sense clean air program, which has proven to be one of our nation’s most cost-effective tools for reducing dirty diesel emissions since its implementation in 2005. This policy is a win-win-win for clean air, our health and our economy, and I’m grateful to Ranking Member Capito and my colleagues for passing it through the U.S. Senate!”

“By passing legislation to reauthorize the DERA program, the Senate demonstrated how we can successfully address emissions using policy incentives instead of punishing regulations,” said Ranking Member Capito. “As an original sponsor of the last reauthorization of the DERA program, I am proud the Senate advanced this commonsense effort, which will help improve air quality and grow our economy at the same time.”

BACKGROUND:

Senator Carper and the late Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) co-authored DERA, which became law through the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Environmental Protection Agency administers the program, which distributes federal grants and rebates to help finance the voluntary replacement or installation of retrofits on existing heavy-duty diesel vehicles and engines. By replacing or upgrading older diesel engines with newer American-made technology, the DERA program reduces diesel emissions, which protects public health and supports domestic manufacturing jobs.

Since its enactment, DERA has enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support. Congress has reauthorized the program twice, through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

The full text of the bill is available here.

A fact sheet is available here. READ MORE