Provisions of the Diesel Truck Liberation Act
- Manufacturing: Stops federal agencies from requiring the installation or maintenance of emissions control devices.
- Enforcement: Removes EPA authority to enforce specific Clean Air Act requirements for vehicle emissions.
- Legal protections: Protects individuals from prosecution or lawsuits related to tampering with emissions equipment.
- Permanence: Codifies current deregulation to prevent future administrations from reinstating mandates.
Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have introduced legislation aimed at stripping the Environmental Protection Agency of its authority to enforce diesel emission mandates, characterizing the current regulations as a "war on the working class."
The Diesel Truck Liberation Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., seeks to codify recent deregulation efforts by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. The bill would prohibit federal agencies from requiring manufacturers to install emissions control devices or onboard diagnostic systems and would retroactively protect individuals prosecuted for tampering with such equipment.
"American truckers and farmers are the backbone of this nation, but the EPA has treated them like criminals for maintaining their own equipment," Collins said in a statement.
Supporters of the bill argue that mandates regarding Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and emissions filtration systems have led to frequent mechanical failures, increased repair costs, and reduced fuel efficiency. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, noted that these regulations, which intensified in 2007, have forced vehicles into "unplanned, out-of-service periods" that harm small businesses.
“Farmers, truckers, and equipment operators are still dealing with frustrating Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system failures, which can slow or even shut down vehicles and equipment,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman, who co-soponsred the House version of the bill. “Far-left regulations on diesel operators are leaving rural residents stranded. No one should find themselves stranded in 100-degree heat because of bad decisions made in Washington, D.C.”
Critics of such deregulation typically point to the public health benefits of the Clean Air Act, noting that diesel particulate matter is a known carcinogen. However, the bill’s sponsors contend the environmental gains are negligible compared to the economic burden placed on rural America.
"The Obama and Biden DEF mandates drove up diesel expenses and piled crushing compliance costs onto farmers and truckers who had no say in the matter," Lummis said.
The House version of the bill is co-sponsored by several Republicans, including Reps. Hageman of Wyoming, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, and Barry Moore of Alabama.
If passed, the legislation would effectively remove the EPA’s authority to enforce certain Clean Air Act requirements related to vehicle emissions, a move supporters say will prevent future administrations from "weaponizing" the agency against diesel operators.
