Policy Issue

Diesel Emission Reduction Act

In 2005, Congress and the Administration sought to provide states and localities with new tools for meeting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and reducing human exposure to harmful diesel emissions. With overwhelming support from government, industry and environmental organizations, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) established a federally-sponsored voluntary retrofit initiative to reduce emissions generated by America’s aging diesel fleets. States must develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to address fine particulate and ozone emission reductions to meet the new air quality standards. A voluntary diesel retrofit initiative offers states and communities the opportunity and flexibility to design their own air quality programs.

DERA was introduced by Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) in June 2005. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005, which was cosponsored by Chairman and Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont), Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Delaware), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York), Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), was passed as part of the Energy Policy Act and signed into law in August 2005.

Specifically, DERA:

Authorizes $1 billion over 5 years ($200 million annually);
Focuses on publicly-owned diesel powered vehicles;
Authorizes EPA to oversee the expenditure of 70-percent of the funds;
Allocates 20 percent of funds to states to develop retrofit programs, with an additional 10 percent available as federal-state funding matches;
Establishes project priorities (such as those that are more cost-effective and affect the greatest number of people); and
Includes provisions to stimulate the development of new technologies, encourage more action through non-financial incentives, and require EPA to work with stakeholders and report on the success of the program.

Now that DERA is law, supporters are working to secure appropriations for the program.

Legislative Information:
Library of Congress information on PL 109-58
DERA section of PL 109-58

Additional legislative information can be found at The Library of Congress THOMAS site

Support for FY 1 Funding:

Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairmen Inouye and Feinstein and Ranking Members Cochran and Alexander (Senate Committee on Appropriations, March 2010)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairmen Obey and Moran and Ranking Members Lewis and Simpson (House Committee on Appropriations, March 2010)

Support for FY 10 Funding:

Letter from Senators to Chairman Inouye, Chairman Feinstein, Ranking Member Cochran and Ranking Member Alexander (Senate Committee on Interior Appropriations, June 2009)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Alexander (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, May 2009)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Simpson (House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, May 2009)

Stimulus Funding:

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Congress provided $300 million in funding for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act. The Requests for Application for the various components of this program are available and one of the key components for succesful applications will be demonstrating that the project creates or sustains jobs. Below is a link to the Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association's formula that can assist eligible entities in making this calculation.

MECA's Jobs Calculation Formula for DERA Grant Applications (March 2009)
Sample Language for Jobs Calculation Formula for DERA Grant Applications (March 2009)

Support for DERA Funding in the Economic Recovery Package:
- Letter from Senator Carper to EPA (January 2009)
- Response from EPA to Senator Carper (January 2009); Attachment: Outline for Distribution of DERA funding if $1.5B is appropriated (January 2009)
- Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to House Appropriations Committee (January 2009)
- Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Senate Appropriations Committee (January 2009)
- Letter from American Lung Association to Chairman Diane Feinstein (Senate Subcomittee on Interior Appropriations (January 2009)
- Letter from American Lung Association to Chairman Norm Dicks (House Subcomittee on Interior Appropriations (January 2009)
- Letter from Senator Feingold to the Senate Appropriations Committee (January 2009)
- Letter from Senators to Senators Byrd and Cochran requesting funding for DERA in the Economic Recovery Package (December 2008)
- The Economic Impact Scenarios for Funding the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act: Analysis Prepared by Keybridge Research (January 2009)
- The Economic Impact of Funding the Diesel Emission Reduction Act: A Preliminary Analysis Prepared by Keybridge Research (December 2008)

Support for FY 09 Funding:

Letter from Senators to Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Allard (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, April 2008)
On March 13, 2008, ECTA testified before the House of Represenatives' Subcommittee on Interior and Environment Appropriations.
Letter from Members of Congress to Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt (House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, March 2008)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to President George W. Bush (October 2007)

Support for FY 08 Funding:

On April 19, 2007, ECTA testified before the House of Represenatives' Subcommittee on Interior and Environment Appropriations.
Letter from Senators to Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Craig (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, April 2007)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Craig (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, March 2007)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt (House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, March 2007)
Letter from Members of Congress to Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt (House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, March 2007)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to President George W. Bush (December 2006)

Support for FY 07 Funding:

Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to EPA Administrator Johnson (February 2007)
Letter from 88 Members of Congress to Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Dicks (May 2006)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Dicks (House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, April 2006)
Letter from 48 Senators to Chairman Burns and Ranking Member Dorgan (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, April 2006)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to Chairman Burns and Ranking Member Dorgan (Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, April 2006)
Letter from Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) to President George W. Bush (December 2005)
Letter from coalition of environment, industry and NGO groups to President George W. Bush (November 2005)

Press Releases:

Voinovich Introduces Bill to Reduce Harmful Emissions from Existing Diesel Engines (Press Release from Senator Voinovich’s office, June 2005)
President Bush Commits $50 million in 2007 Budget to Diesel Emissions Reduction (Press Release from Senator Voinovich’s office, February 2006)

What Other Groups are Saying about DERA:

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