[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3315 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3315
To establish a voucher program for the purchase and installation of
emission reducing technologies for Class 8 trucks, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 15, 2023
Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Ricketts) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a voucher program for the purchase and installation of
emission reducing technologies for Class 8 trucks, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Trucking Efficiency and
Emission Reductions Act'' or the ``STEER Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Class 8 truck.--The term ``Class 8 truck'' means a
vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 33,000
pounds.
(2) Covered expenditure.--The term ``covered expenditure''
means an expense that is associated with the purchase and
installation of an emission reducing active technology,
including--
(A) the cost of an emission reducing active
technology; and
(B) material and labor costs associated with the
installation of an emission reducing active technology.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
applicant to which a voucher under the program may be made
available, including--
(A) an individual;
(B) a State or local government;
(C) a private entity;
(D) a not-for-profit entity;
(E) a nonprofit entity; and
(F) such other applicants the Secretary determines
to be appropriate.
(4) Emission reducing active technology.--The term
``emission reducing active technology'' means any physical
alterations of a Class 8 truck that can be installed as a
retrofit and that adapts automatically to control vehicle
performance factors and improve fuel efficiency, including--
(A) active aerodynamics;
(B) active rolling resistance;
(C) dynamic axle lift control;
(D) non-auxiliary power unit active idle reduction;
and
(E) such other emerging improvements as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(5) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program
established under section 3(a).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 3. VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR EMISSION REDUCING TECHNOLOGIES ON CLASS 8
TRUCKS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to award
vouchers for covered expenditures associated with retrofitting emission
reducing active technologies on Class 8 trucks.
(b) Program Requirements.--
(1) Eligible technologies.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 150 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
publish and maintain on the Department of Energy
internet website a list of emission reducing active
technologies that are eligible for the program,
including biodiesel, electrification, ethanol, and
hydrogen fuel cells.
(B) Updates.--The Secretary may add to, or
otherwise revise, the list of emission reducing active
technologies under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary
determines that an addition or revision will likely
lead to--
(i) greater usage of emission reducing
active technologies; or
(ii) greater access to emission reducing
active technologies by users.
(C) Location requirement.--To be eligible for the
program, the emission reducing active technologies
described in subparagraph (A) shall be installed in the
United States.
(2) Application.--
(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a
voucher under the program, an eligible entity shall
submit to the Secretary an application, which shall
include--
(i) the estimated cost of covered
expenditures to be expended on the emission
reducing active technologies that are eligible
under paragraph (1);
(ii) the estimated installation cost of the
emission reducing active technologies that are
eligible under paragraph (1);
(iii) the global positioning system
location, including the integer number of
degrees, minutes, and seconds, where emission
reducing active technologies are to be
installed;
(iv) the technical specifications of
emission reducing active technologies; and
(v) any other information determined by the
Secretary to be necessary for a complete
application.
(B) Review process.--The Secretary shall review an
application for a voucher under the program and approve
an eligible entity to receive a voucher if the
application meets the requirements of the program under
this subsection.
(C) Notification to eligible entity.--Not later
than 90 days after the date on which an eligible entity
applies for a voucher under the program, the Secretary
shall notify the eligible entity whether the eligible
entity will be awarded a voucher under the program
following the submission of additional materials
required under paragraph (4)(B).
(3) Voucher amount.--The amount of a voucher awarded under
the program for covered expenditures for each emission reducing
active technology shall cover--
(A) in the case of a fleet operating not more than
10 Class 8 trucks, the lesser of $4,000 and 75 percent
of total covered expenditures per unit;
(B) in the case of a fleet operating more than 10
Class 8 trucks and not more than 50 Class 8 trucks, the
lesser of $3,500 and 72.5 percent of total covered
expenditures per unit;
(C) in the case of a fleet operating more than 50
Class 8 trucks and not more than 100 Class 8 trucks,
the lesser of $3,000 and 70 percent of total covered
expenditures per unit; and
(D) in the case of a fleet operating not less than
101 Class 8 trucks, the lesser of $2,500 and 67.5
percent of total covered expenditures per unit.
(4) Disbursement of voucher.--
(A) In general.--After approval under paragraph
(2)(B) of an application submitted by an eligible
entity, the Secretary shall disburse a voucher to the
eligible entity not later than 90 days after the date
on which the eligible entity submits the materials
required under subparagraph (B).
(B) Materials required for disbursement of
voucher.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which
an eligible entity receives notice under paragraph
(2)(C) that the eligible entity has been approved for a
voucher, that eligible entity shall submit to the
Secretary--
(i) a record of payment for covered
expenses expended on the installation of the
emission reducing active technologies that are
eligible under paragraph (1);
(ii) a record of payment for the emission
reducing active technologies that are eligible
under paragraph (1);
(iii) the global positioning system
location of where emission reducing active
technologies were installed;
(iv) the technical specifications of the
emission reducing active technologies that are
eligible under paragraph (1); and
(v) any other information determined by the
Secretary to be necessary.
(c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the first date on which
the Secretary awards a voucher under the program, the Secretary shall
submit a report describing the number of vouchers awarded under
subsection (b) to--
(1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives.
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