Earlier this month U.S. Representative Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) introduced the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), which offers grant and loan programs to encourage organizations to upgrade older diesel equipment. This bipartisan issue offers significant environmental, health and financial benefits. With the 111th Congress preparing to adjourn for the holidays they passed the bill, and sent it to President Obama for his signature.
DERA is a five-year reauthorization of the program created in 2005. The DERA funds are used to clean up the nation’s older, dirty diesels, by retrofitting or replacing them with new technologies that significantly reduce the soot and emissions from an estimated 11 million of our oldest diesel trucks, buses, and equipment. According to Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, the reauthorization would be a huge success for air quality.
“DERA has helped clean up tens of thousands of diesel engines. It’s been incredibly cost-effective — EPA estimates that every federal dollar invested in DERA translates into at least 13 dollars in health benefits. This cost effectiveness is actually higher thanks to state and local matches that stretch the federal DERA dollars. DERA funds also support new and existing jobs in clean diesel manufacturing, as well as local jobs in installing and maintaining the new diesel technologies,” Schaeffer said.
Once President Obama signs the bill into law, it is expected to provide a total of $500 million in grants and loans over a five-year period.
To learn more about the DERA and clean diesel click here.