The American Trucking Associations has welcomed the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s unanimous passage of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025, legislation designed to continue a federal program that helps fleets and other operators reduce emissions from older diesel-powered equipment. The committee advanced H.R. 2140 during a September 2 markup.
The legislation would reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, commonly known as DERA, through fiscal year 2029. The program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and provides financial assistance through grants, rebates, and loans for projects that reduce emissions from existing diesel engines.
Eligible projects can include replacing older diesel engines, installing emissions-control technology, rebuilding engines, switching to cleaner fuels, reducing unnecessary idling, and adopting other strategies that lower diesel emissions. The program can support equipment used in transportation and other industries where diesel engines remain essential.
For trucking fleets, programs such as DERA can help offset some of the significant costs associated with replacing older equipment. Newer heavy-duty trucks generally offer improved emissions performance, but purchasing replacement vehicles requires substantial capital. Federal assistance can provide fleets with an additional incentive to modernize equipment earlier than they otherwise might.
ATA has emphasized its support for voluntary, incentive-based approaches to reducing transportation emissions. The trucking organization argues that programs providing financial assistance can help fleets adopt newer technologies without relying solely on regulatory mandates that may create additional financial pressure for carriers.
The legislation itself is relatively straightforward. H.R. 2140 would amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by changing the program’s authorization expiration from 2024 to 2029. It does not fundamentally restructure DERA’s eligibility requirements or automatically provide new appropriations. Instead, it extends the legal authorization allowing the federal program to continue.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Doris Matsui of California alongside bipartisan co-sponsors Reps. Ken Calvert of California, Nicholas Langworthy of New York, and Chellie Pingree of Maine. Before reaching the full Energy and Commerce Committee, the measure advanced through the Environment Subcommittee in July 2026.
The program’s future funding remains an important issue. EPA’s fiscal year 2027 budget justification proposes eliminating the DERA Grant Program, compared with an estimated $90 million fiscal year 2026 enacted operating level. Congressional reauthorization and annual appropriations are separate steps, meaning extending DERA’s authorization would not guarantee a specific level of future funding.
ATA’s support reflects the trucking industry’s broader interest in policies that balance emissions reductions with the economic realities of operating commercial vehicles. With committee approval secured, H.R. 2140 can continue through the legislative process as supporters seek to preserve the federal program through 2029.
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