diesel, emission--America DIESEL EMISSIONS REDUCTION ACT EXTENDED FIVE YEARS

President Obama has signed the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) of 2010 extending the program for another five years.

Created in 2005, the program spent about a half-a-billion dollars over the last five years to pay for retrofitting and updating older diesel engines to reduce emissions.

The new DERA offers $500 million in funding over five years and encourages matching funding from states, local governments and private concerns.

Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum said, "The combination of new clean diesel technology and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel has helped to reduce diesel emissions to near zero levels for new buses, trucks and off-road equipment.

"Now the older engines that continue to power our economy will also benefit from the upgraded engines and filters provided by DERA. This legislation will accelerate the introduction of even more clean diesel technology to as many of our older diesel engines as possible."

The National School Transportation Association welcomes the renewal saying this version will allow for direct applications from private entities under contract to federal, state or local governments; streamlines the application process, especially for small businesses; and gives higher priority for projects that benefit school areas.

Source: Agrimarketing.com