HOUSE PASSES MATSUI’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO CUT DIESEL POLLUTION, PROTECT SACRAMENTO FAMILIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) successfully passed the bipartisan Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025, legislation to protect public health and lower the cost of replacing older, heavily polluting diesel engines.
The bill, co-led by Representatives Ken Calvert (R-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Nick Langworthy (R-NY), reauthorizes the successful Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program, known as DERA, through fiscal year 2029 at $100 million annually. The program provides grants and rebates that help schools, local governments, small businesses, and fleet operators replace or upgrade older diesel-powered trucks, buses, construction equipment, and other heavy-duty engines.
“For more than two decades, DERA has been a model of effective, bipartisan policymaking,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Under the program, California has replaced thousands of polluting trucks, tractors, and school buses, helping children breathe cleaner and healthier air as they ride to school. And now, as diesel prices reach $6 per gallon nationally, DERA is more important than ever. It doesn’t just save lives, it saves people money. I’m proud that the House voted to continue funding this practical, commonsense program.”
“Diesel fuel powers Maine’s boats, ferries, buses, construction trucks, agricultural equipment, and more, but emissions from older diesel engines have serious consequences for public health and the environment. Since its passage in 2005, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has helped replace or retrofit nearly 100,000 diesel engines, vehicles, and pieces of equipment and deliver cleaner air and billions in public health benefits to communities across the country—including here in Maine,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “With Trump’s reckless war in Iran increasing volatility in global energy markets, and with the threats posed by climate change looming larger every day, Congress took a much-needed step today to reauthorize DERA so that we can continue to pursue solutions that help reduce our dependence on foreign energy and incentivize American consumers and businesses to embrace more efficient technologies. Reauthorizing this proven program will help us make progress on both fronts, while reducing pollution and improving air quality in Maine and across the country.”
Older diesel engines remain in service across the economy because replacing heavy-duty equipment is costly, even though these engines produce an outsized share of the pollution that drives asthma, heart and lung disease, and premature death.
The consequences are particularly severe in the Sacramento region, where the geography traps pollution and compounds the burden on communities near major transportation corridors.DERA helps retire these engines sooner by lowering the cost of cleaner replacements, returning up to $30 in public-health benefits for every federal dollar invested.
DERA has delivered results through a voluntary, technology-neutral model that lets communities choose the upgrades best suited to their needs. Since 2008, the program has improved more than 76,900 vehicles and engines nationwide. Congresswoman Matsui has long been a champion of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, leading the previous reauthorization in 2019.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.