Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is calling for an increase in funding for a program that not only would help clean our environment, but could also create green jobs in Wisconsin. In a letter to Senate appropriators, Feingold called for increased funding for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) to be included in the economic recovery package and the 2009 and 2010 appropriations bills that Congress needs to complete this year. The DERA program authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to competitively award grants and loans for voluntary efforts to reduce diesel emissions by retrofitting diesel engines and pursuing clean energy technologies. In Wisconsin, several manufacturing plants that produce diesel catalytic converters that are used to help curb emissions are eligible for the grants that may help them save or create jobs.
“Investing in cleaning our air will not only have long-term positive benefits for our environment, but it will also help stimulate our economy when it needs it most,” Feingold said. “Wisconsin is home to several businesses that manufacture products to help diesel vehicles reduce pollution. By increasing funding for this program that awards grants to companies like these, we can address two of our most critical challenges – strengthening Wisconsin’s economy and protecting our environment.”
Feingold’s efforts to advance green-collar job efforts has been a major component of his E4 initiative aimed at fueling job creation and spurring economic development. Based on a study supported by the DERA Coalition, an organization that includes both environmental and industry groups, an appropriation of $550 million and its associated matching funds will generate more than $3 billion in additional economic output and save or create over 19,000 jobs. Clean diesel retrofits of existing vehicles can also reduce cancer-causing particulate matter emissions by over 90 percent and additional health benefits can be obtained.
A wide variety of entities are eligible for DERA grants and loans including local, regional, and state governments, tribal agencies, port authorities that oversee transportation or air quality, and transportation or air quality non-profit organizations and institutions that either represent or educate others that own or operate diesel fleets. The DERA program is supported by the Wisconsin Clean Diesel Coalition of industry, government agencies, and non-profits. The Coalition's goal is to reduce emissions from at least 50,000 of the 500,000 engines in Wisconsin that are diesel-powered engines by 2010. To date, Wisconsin has received over $1 million in DERA funds. However, the DERA program has received only $50 million, $550 million less than the funding levels authorized by Congress when the program was created in 2005.
A copy of the letter can be viewed here.
