By Paul Rachwal
Friday, Mar 14th, 2008 @ 12:33 pm

U.S. congress is one step closer to passing a bill that will allow the EPA to retrofit old diesel engines in heavy vehicles with modern emissions control systems, it was reported Thursday. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bill that will give the EPA access to settlement funds — all $45 million — collected as settlement for company violations of the Clean Air Act between 2001 and 2006.

The EPA is concerned with older engines in school buses or semis as well as off-road vehicles and estimates there are 11 million such vehicles in the U.S. in need of emissions control devices, as per The Detroit News. It goes on to say vehicles are responsible for over 1,000 tons of particulate matter daily, causing 21,000 premature U.S. deaths every year.

“This bipartisan legislation will allow badly needed funds from environmental settlements to go towards reducing the effect of diesel engines on our environment,” said Rep. John D. Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In 2006, the EPA tightened limits on wheeled vehicle diesel emissions, including mandating ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

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