The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), passing the measure 343–79 and extending federal support for cleaner heavy-duty vehicle technologies through fiscal year 2029.
Introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Nick Langworthy (R-NY), the bipartisan legislation authorizes $100 million annually for the long-running program. The bill heads to the Senate for consideration.
Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, DERA awards competitive grants and rebates that incentivize fleet operators to voluntarily retrofit or replace older, higher-emitting diesel vehicles and equipment. Over nearly two decades, the program has facilitated upgrades across tens of thousands of engines, saving more than 500 million gallons of fuel nationwide.
American Trucking Associations Chief Advocacy & Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom noted that DERA has helped accelerate the deployment of cleaner, more efficient trucks.
"The trucking industry's tremendous success at reducing its environmental impact is rooted in innovation, investment, and collaboration,” he said. "By passing this bipartisan legislation, the House has taken an important step toward ensuring carriers can continue modernizing their fleets, which will deliver fuel savings and further emissions reductions."
A newly manufactured heavy-duty truck cuts carbon dioxide emissions in half compared to a 2010 model and generates 99% fewer particulate matter and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions than older generations. By contrast, it takes roughly 60 modern commercial trucks to match the particulate emissions of a single truck built in 1988, and more than 200 to produce equivalent NOx.
A core attribute of the DERA framework is its technology-neutral approach, which allows operators flexibility in deploying emerging solutions, such as renewable diesel, that provide significant lifecycle carbon reductions at lower adoption costs.
