Granger Introduces House Bill for Anti-Idling Tax Credits

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ep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) re-introduced legislation last week that would provide tax credits for the trucking industry to buy anti-idling technology to help reduce air pollution while also helping to save money on diesel fuel.

“These tax credits will help truckers with exorbitant fuel prices while also reducing air pollution,” Granger said in a statement.

The Idling Reduction Tax Credit Act of 2006 would allow a 25% tax credit of up to $1,000 for the purchase of idling-reduction devices such as cabin heating or cooling systems that are normally powered by a truck's main engine.

Under the bill, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Energy would certify which alternative idling-reduction devices meet appropriate standards to qualify for the tax credit.

EPA estimates that idling trucks emit 5,000 tons of particulate matter, or soot, per year. The EPA says that idling reduction devices could reduce ozone and soot as well as greenhouse gas emissions, by 80% to 90%, Granger’s statement said.

The Federal Highway Administration's 2004 Highway Statistics report found that trucks consume 36.4 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year, while industry experts estimate that 26.2 million trucks registered and used for business purposes operate in the United States.

Many of these trucks will benefit the most from the proposed tax credits, Granger said.

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