Rep. Calvert Offers Amendment To Increase Funding For Diesel Emissions Reduction Grants

Press Release

Last night during the full committee mark up of the FY2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill, Rep. Calvert introduced an amendment to increase funding for Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) programs from $60 million to $75 million for FY10 with the offset being an increase of the EPA rescission from $35 million to $50 million, coming primarily from EPA accounts with unspent funds over 10 years old.

"Recent studies indicate that Black Carbon, like that emitted from Diesel Engines, may be the second greatest contributor to climate change," said Rep. Calvert. "Retrofit technology implementation supported by DERA Collaboratives reduces Black Carbon emissions by up to 90%."

A broad and diverse coalition of over 250 environmental, science, public health, industry, state and local governments recently wrote Congress encouraging increased DERA funding. Forty-three bipartisan Members of the House have also sent a letter seeking an increase in DERA funds. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act authorized $200 million per year from FY07-FY11. To date, the program has only received $134 million in regular fiscal year appropriations funding from FY07-FY09. The Calvert amendment would have maintained funding for DERA at FY09 levels.

To date, the EPA has received over 650 applications for federal DERA funds totaling over $2 billion. DERA leverages two state and local dollars for every one federal dollar invested and provides $13 of economic benefit for every dollar spent on economic activities. A recent EPA Inspector General report shows over $162 million in unspent obligations in EPA accounts from FY1999 and prior. These funds have been sitting idle for over 10 years. The Calvert amendment would have rescinded $15 million of these stagnant funds and put it toward a program that improves air quality and creates jobs.

"The Inland Empire suffers from poor air quality due to several factors, one of which is Black Carbon emitted from the thousands of trucks that make their way from the ports of LA and Long Beach inland," said Rep. Calvert. "Congress must maximize programs, such as DERA, that can have a direct and immediate positive impact in our communities."

Rep. Calvert also introduced an amendment to the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill that would prohibit any funds in the bill from going to any entity that does not use E-Verify. E-Verify, created by Rep. Calvert through legislation in 1996, is a web-based, user-friendly, free system that allows employers to check the legal status of newly hired employees.

Both amendments failed on a mostly party-line vote.

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