The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) on Tuesday demonstrated a brief moment of bipartisanism in approving the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA).
DERA (S. 3973) is a five-year reauthorization of a program created in 2005 to establish voluntary national and state-level grant and loan programs to reduce diesel emissions by upgrading and modernizing older diesel engines and equipment.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced on November 18th by U.S. Senators George Voinovich (R-OH) and Tom Carper (D-DE) and cosponsored by several of their colleagues including EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK).
It is being hailed as a major step in continuing “a vital clean air program that has benefited communities in every single state in the nation”, according to Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF).
DERA is one of the few environmental issues to gain bipartisan support in recent months.
“While it’s been difficult lately to find environmental issues that have near-universal bipartisan support among Democrats and Republicans, DERA has proven to be one program to do so,” Schaeffer said. “In addition, a unique and diverse coalition of more than 500 environmental, health, industry, labor and government organizations are actively working for DERA’s reauthorization.
EPA estimates that every federal dollar invested in DERA translates into at least 13 dollars in health benefits, according to the DTF. Schaeffer said DERA funds also support new and existing clean energy jobs in diesel manufacturing, as well as local jobs in installing and maintaining the new diesel technologies.
“We are hopeful the full Senate and U.S. House will continue this bipartisan effort and reauthorize DERA during the lame duck session,” he said.
In Worse Congressional News…
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), who is vying to take control of the House Appropriations Committee, threatened to strip the EPA’s funding for clean air regulations. He sent a letter to EPA chief Lisa Jackson promising "unprecedented levels of oversight," if he should attain the committee gavel.
Read the Politico report at the link below.
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