Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Supporting Trucking Efficiency and Emission Reductions Act” or the “STEER Act”.
Supporting Trucking Efficiency and Emission Reductions Act
A BILL
To establish a voucher program for the purchase and installation of emission reducing technologies for Class 8 trucks, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Class 8 truck— The term Class 8 truck means a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 33,000 pounds.
Covered expenditure— The term covered expenditure means an expense that is associated with the purchase and installation of an emission reducing active technology, including—
the cost of an emission reducing active technology; and
material and labor costs associated with the installation of an emission reducing active technology.
Eligible entity— The term eligible entity means an applicant to which a voucher under the program may be made available, including—
an individual;
a State or local government;
a private entity;
a not-for-profit entity;
a nonprofit entity; and
such other applicants the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
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—
active aerodynamics;
active rolling resistance;
dynamic axle lift control;
non-auxiliary power unit active idle reduction; and
such other emerging improvements as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
Program— The term program means the program established under section 3(a).
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
Sec. 3 Voucher program for emission reducing technologies on Class 8 trucks
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.
Program requirements—
Eligible technologies—
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.
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—
greater usage of emission reducing active technologies; or
greater access to emission reducing active technologies by users.
Location requirement— To be eligible for the program, the emission reducing active technologies described in subparagraph (A) shall be installed in the United States.
Application—
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—
the estimated cost of covered expenditures to be expended on the emission reducing active technologies that are eligible under paragraph (1);
the estimated installation cost of the emission reducing active technologies that are eligible under paragraph (1);
the global positioning system location, including the integer number of degrees, minutes, and seconds, where emission reducing active technologies are to be installed;
the technical specifications of emission reducing active technologies; and
any other information determined by the Secretary to be necessary for a complete application.
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.
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).
Voucher amount— The amount of a voucher awarded under the program for covered expenditures for each emission reducing active technology shall cover—
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;
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;
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
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.
Disbursement of voucher—
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).
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—
a record of payment for covered expenses expended on the installation of the emission reducing active technologies that are eligible under paragraph (1);
a record of payment for the emission reducing active technologies that are eligible under paragraph (1);
the global positioning system location of where emission reducing active technologies were installed;
the technical specifications of the emission reducing active technologies that are eligible under paragraph (1); and
any other information determined by the Secretary to be necessary.
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—
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.