Energy Policy Act of 2005--Continued
ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005--Continued
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Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Ohio as a cosponsor of this important amendment to improve air quality and public health by reducing emissions from diesel engines.
I believe that this amendment will take important strides not only toward the stated goal of reducing emissions but also in making advanced clean diesel technology more viable in the United States. Diesel engines now can increase fuel economy by as much as 25 to 40 percent. If we can do that--and do it without harmful tailpipe emissions--we could make significant progress toward improving overall fuel economy and reducing our oil consumption.
This bipartisan amendment would establish national and State grant and loan programs to promote reduction of diesel emissions. The amendment authorizes $200 million annually for 5 years to fund programs that will help us to replace older diesel technology with newer, cleaner diesel technology. The grant program, which will be administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, has the potential to result in significant reductions in diesel particulate matter and help communities in meeting national ambient air quality standards.
Under this amendment, 70 percent of the funds available would be to provide grants and low-cost revolving loans on a competitive basis for retrofit of buses, heavy duty trucks, locomotives, or non-road engines to help achieve significant emissions reductions particularly from fleets operating in poor air quality areas. The remaining 30 percent of the funds would go for grant and loan programs administered by states.
The important steps that will be taken by these programs offer great promise for reducing diesel emissions and making clean diesel a commercially viable advanced vehicle technology in the U.S. Our friends in Europe have taken advantage of the opportunities that diesel offers for improving fuel economy and reducing oil dependence. We have not been able to do so here in the U.S. because of our concerns about tailpipe emissions. Initiatives such as those included in this amendment will help the U.S. to develop advanced diesel technology that will be able to meet our emissions standards in a cost-effective manner.
I am pleased to join my colleagues today in supporting this amendment.
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