A common complaint about trucking regulations is that they are made one-size-fits-all.
Opponents of an Environmental Protection Agency regulation say that an emission system requirement doesn’t account for how diesel engines operate in extremely cold weather.
That’s where the Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act comes in. The bill directs the EPA to update its regulations to account for how trucks operate in cold-weather states. There have been reports of mandated emission systems triggering engine shutdowns when diesel exhaust fluid fails to reach the proper operating temperature. The bill would provide year-round exemptions from DEF system requirements for vehicles and equipment that operate primarily in cold climates, such as Alaska and Wyoming.
Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., introduced S3135 on Nov. 6.
Last week, Rep. Nicholas Begich, R-Alaska, introduced the House version of the Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act, HR6250.
“In extreme cold, diesel engines can shut down because EPA-mandated emissions systems weren’t designed for the harsh conditions we face in Alaska and across the northern United States,” Sullivan said in a news release. “That’s not just an inconvenience. It’s a compliance trap for the men and women who keep Alaska moving. The Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act makes sure trucks and heavy equipment can keep operating safely in freezing weather by preventing automatic shutdowns caused by cold-related emissions faults. Our legislation brings common sense to EPA rules, aligning federal policy with real-world conditions in the nation’s coldest regions.”
Specifically, the bill would grant a year-round exemption from DEF system requirements for diesel vehicles primarily operated north of 59 degrees north latitude, as demonstrated by documentation. Exemptions would also apply to vehicles that encounter prolonged ambient temperatures below the freezing point of DEF (12 degrees Fahrenheit) or other factors that make the use of DEF systems impractical.
“Climate-alarmist bureaucrats in Washington do not understand that the consequences of their radical agenda are hurting real people in western communities,” Lummis said. “I am proud to join Senator Sullivan in correcting the Obama and Biden administrations’ disastrous policies and ensuring folks don’t get stranded in their ‘EPA-compliant’ vehicles, even during the harshest winter weather. The people of Wyoming should not have to choose between breaking the law or losing their lives.” LL
Credit: Source link
