House Panel Approves Measure to Reduce Air Pollution from Diesel Engines
Statement
House Panel Approves Measure to Reduce Air Pollution from Diesel Engines
The Committee on Energy and Commerce today approved H.R. 3754, legislation that would help reduce air pollution from school buses and other diesel engines. The bill would authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continue to enter settlement agreements that give defendants credit for funding projects that reduce emissions from diesel trucks, buses and other diesel engines.
"This bipartisan legislation will allow badly needed funds from environmental settlements to go towards reducing the effect of diesel engines on our environment," said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. "Reducing diesel emissions through retrofit technologies is a cost effective way of improving air quality."
"Today's approval of HR 3754 is the next step to restoring this important clean diesel program," said Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), the bill's author. "Areas across the nation that suffer from poor air quality, such as the San Joaquin Valley, can benefit from these types of retrofits to older diesel engines. I will continue to work with House leadership to see it is brought to a vote before the full House of Representatives."
In some cases, private parties have funded diesel retrofit programs as part of a settlement with the EPA in cases involving violation of the Clean Air Act. From Fiscal Year 2001 through 2006, the diesel emission reduction settlements that EPA entered were valued at more than $45 million.
However, because, the budget enacted for fiscal year 2008 contains a specific appropriation of $49.5 million for clean diesel programs (one-fourth of the authorized amount), the EPA could be prevented from accepting diesel emission reduction projects in future Clean Air Act settlement agreements. H.R. 3754, introduced by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), would correct this by allowing EPA to continue to enter settlement agreements that include funding for diesel emission reduction projects.
The Committee approved the legislation unanimously. The Senate companion bill to H.R. 3754, S. 2146, was passed by the Senate.
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