This bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator to change clean air rules so certain diesel vehicle makers can temporarily stop engine derate or shutdown functions when ambient temperature is at or below 0°C. The EPA would also be required to grant a year‑round exemption from diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system requirements for covered vehicles that are primarily operated north of 59° north latitude or that face prolonged freezing or other conditions that make DEF use impractical. Covered vehicles include on‑highway diesel vehicles and nonroad diesel equipment. Any suspended derate or shutdown must end and normal emissions controls must resume once temperatures rise above 0°C. Only the vehicle manufacturer may suspend the inducement-related derate or shutdown. The EPA must complete the required regulatory revisions within 180 days of enactment. The act states it does not waive emissions standards except for the temporary cold‑weather operational mode and the specified DEF exemptions.
No publicly available information on budgetary costs, savings, or economic impacts is included in the bill text or metadata.
The bill’s findings say diesel vehicles are vital for emergency and critical transport in cold regions, DEF storage and systems are often unreliable in prolonged freezing, and automatic derates or shutdowns in extreme cold can create life‑threatening risks. Proponents view the changes as protecting safety and essential mobility in cold and remote areas.
No publicly available information on objections, opposition, or counterarguments is included in the bill text or metadata.