Congresswoman Richardson Celebrates President Obama Signing Her Legislation to Extend DERA
Press Release
Today, Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-CA 37) praised President Obama signing into law a bill she authored, The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 (DERA) This vital legislation will extend a voluntary national and state-level grant and loan program that creates jobs, saves lives and significantly improve the nation's air quality.
"President Obama signing the DERA bill into law will provide immediate and long term benefits that are substantial to the 37th Congressional District and our nation as a whole," explained Congresswoman Richardson. "The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act not only provides economic incentives to decrease emissions and protect our environment, but also creates significant health benefits as well."
Additionally, the bill will reduce diesel emissions by upgrading and modernizing older diesel engines and equipment which was set to expire in the 2011 fiscal year. Introduced by Congresswoman Richardson, the DERA Act. Of 2010 authorizes a five year extension of current operations and include several important modifications to expand the program and increase eligibility.
"I represent a region that is home to the largest port complex in the nation and consist of some of the busiest freeways and railways in the nation," said Congresswoman Richardson.
"The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act not only provides economic incentives to decrease emissions and protect our environment, it also creates substantial health and economic benefits. It is critical that we not only extend the program over the next five years, but also improve and expand the program so it can work even better in protecting the health of those who live near our ports. I applaud President Obama for signing this legislation into law which will improve the air quality for citizens across the nation," Rep. Richardson concluded.
Originally passed with strong bipartisan support as part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, the program is widely considered one of the most cost-effective federal programs in the nation. The EPA has estimated that in California alone, the program averages more than $13 in health and economic benefits for every $1 in funding. Since DERA funding began in 2007, more than 3,000 projects nation-wide have benefitted from the program. Additionally projections estimate that nearly 2,000 lives will be saved by 2017 in direct relation to the DERA's impact on air quality. Without the signing of Richardson's bill, the authorization for DERA would have expired at the end of the fiscal year.
In addition to extending the current program of grants and loans, Congresswoman Richardson's bill
includes a rebate program and simplifies the application process. It will expand the program by adding eligibility for the District of Columbia and the territories eliminate the requirement for 50% of funding to go towards public fleets and reduce the cap for emerging technologies from 10% to 5%.
The bill is being co-sponsored by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA5).
DERA Grants in Los Angeles Area 2009-2010
Awarded to:
1. City of Los Angeles Harbor Department, $1.21 million: Install a natural gas powered shore-to-ship electrical connection system for berthed ocean-going vessels at Port of Los Angeles.
2. City of Long Beach City Harbor Craft and Cargo-Handling, $1.65 million: Repower three harbor vessels and one piece of cargo-handling equipment; retrofit four pieces of cargo-handling equipment at Port of Long Beach
3. City of Los Angeles Harbor Department, Port of Los Angeles EcoCrane Project, $731,298: Replace a conventional diesel generator on a rubber tire gantry crane used to handle cargo at the Port of Los Angeles with EcoPower Hybrid Systems Inc.'s EcoCrane Hybrid system. This technology uses a lower horsepower, more efficient generator certified at Tier 3 with a battery pack to help reduce idling time. This technology will reduce particulate matter by 25%.
4. South Coast Air Quality Management District (Port of Long Beach) Advanced Maritime Emission Control System Project, $1.5 million: Install Advanced Cleanup Technologies, Inc's Advanced Maritime Emission Control System. The technology acts as a bonnet that encompasses the stack of a vessel while docked at the port of Long Beach. It then captures and treats exhaust, reducing emissions by 70 percent of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and 30 percent of carbon monoxide. The technology can service up to four vessels at one time.
5. City of Los Angeles Harbor Department, $1.99 million: Retrofit 27 vehicles including harbor vessels, trucks, sweepers, loaders, cranes, forklifts
6. Port of Long Beach, $4.01 million: Replace, repower, or retrofit 118 pieces of cargo handling equipment
7. South Coast Air Quality Management District, $2 million: This project will retrofit 100 heavy-duty on-highway diesel trucks with Johnson Matthey Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology. This project will also create 19 jobs and provide long and short term economic benefits for the surrounding area.
8. South Coast Air Quality Management District, $2 million: This project will retrofit 100 heavy-duty on-highway diesel trucks with Johnson Matthey Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology. These vehicles move goods throughout the South Coast Air Basin, 19 direct jobs will be created in the first two years.
9. California Air Resources Board (CARB), $5 million: Offers an innovative finance program for nonroad small fleet retrofits. This program uses EPA funding as a loan guarantee to leverage loan funds via California's Providing Loan Assistance for California Equipment (PLACE) finance program.
Congresswoman Richardson is a Democrat from California's 37th Congressional District. She is a member of the House Committees on Transportation & Infrastructure and Homeland Security and is chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response. Her district includes Long Beach, Compton, Carson, Watts, Willowbrook and Signal Hill.
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