[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5256 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5256

 To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
 carry out a pilot program to award grants for the electrification of 
         certain refrigerated vehicles, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 22, 2019

 Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. 
Tlaib, and Ms. Roybal-Allard) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
 carry out a pilot program to award grants for the electrification of 
         certain refrigerated vehicles, 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 ``Fostering and Realizing 
Electrification by Encouraging Zero Emission Refrigeration Trucks Act 
of 2019'' or the ``FREEZER Trucks Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO AWARD GRANTS FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF 
              CERTAIN REFRIGERATED VEHICLES.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--The Administrator shall 
establish and carry out a pilot program to award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out projects described 
in subsection (b).
    (b) Projects.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under 
subsection (a) may use grant funds only for one or more of the 
following projects:
            (1) Transport refrigeration unit replacement.--A project to 
        retrofit a heavy-duty vehicle by replacing the existing diesel-
        powered transport refrigeration unit in such vehicle with an 
        electric transport refrigeration unit.
            (2) Shore power infrastructure.--A project to purchase and 
        install shore power infrastructure or other equipment that 
        enables transport refrigeration units to connect to electric 
        power at food service distribution centers or other places 
        where heavy-duty vehicles congregate.
            (3) Transport refrigeration unit operation and 
        maintenance.--A project to operate and maintain vehicles, 
        infrastructure, or equipment relating to electric transport 
        refrigeration units and associated shore power, including any 
        such vehicles, infrastructure, or equipment acquired as part of 
        a project funded under this section and described in paragraph 
        (1) or paragraph (2).
    (c) Maximum Amounts.--The amount of a grant awarded under 
subsection (a) shall not exceed--
            (1) for the costs of a project relating to transport 
        refrigeration unit replacement described in subsection (b)(1), 
        not more than 75 percent of such costs;
            (2) for the costs of a project relating to shore power 
        infrastructure described in subsection (b)(2), not more than 55 
        percent of such costs; and
            (3) for the costs of a project relating to transport 
        refrigeration unit operation and maintenance described in 
        subsection (b)(3), not more than 45 percent of such costs.
    (d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit to the Administrator--
            (1) a description of the air quality in the area served by 
        the eligible entity, including a description of how the air 
        quality is affected by diesel emissions from heavy-duty 
        vehicles;
            (2) a description of the project proposed by the eligible 
        entity, including--
                    (A) any verified technology or emerging technology 
                to be used or funded by the eligible entity; and
                    (B) a description of the heavy-duty vehicle fleet 
                of the eligible entity, including--
                            (i) the number of such vehicles;
                            (ii) the uses of such vehicles;
                            (iii) the locations where such vehicles 
                        dock for the purpose of loading or unloading; 
                        and
                            (iv) the routes driven by such vehicles, 
                        including the times at which such vehicles are 
                        driven;
            (3) an estimate of the cost of the proposed project;
            (4) a description of the age and expected lifetime control 
        of the equipment used or funded by the eligible entity; and
            (5) provisions for the monitoring and verification of the 
        project.
    (e) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall give priority to proposed projects that, as 
determined by the Administrator--
            (1) maximize public health benefits;
            (2) are the most cost-effective; and
            (3) will serve the communities that are most polluted by 
        diesel motor emissions, including communities that the 
        Administrator identifies as being in either nonattainment or 
        maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards for a 
        criteria pollutant, particularly for--
                    (A) ozone; and
                    (B) particulate matter.
    (f) Data Release.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which a 
grant is made under this section, the Administrator shall publish on 
the website of the Environmental Protection Agency, on a downloadable 
electronic database, information with respect to such grant, 
including--
            (1) the name and location of the grant recipient;
            (2) the total amount of the grant;
            (3) the intended use or uses of the grant;
            (4) the date on which the grant was awarded;
            (5) where applicable, an estimate of any air pollution or 
        greenhouse gas emissions avoided as a result of the project 
        funded by the grant; and
            (6) any other data the Administrator determines to be 
        necessary for an evaluation of the use and effect of grants 
        awarded under this section.
    (g) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Annual report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of the establishment of the pilot program under this 
        section, and annually thereafter until funding is expended, the 
        Administrator shall submit to Congress and make available to 
        the public a report that describes, with respect to the 
        applicable year--
                    (A) any grant applications received under such 
                program;
                    (B) any grants awarded under such program, 
                including a summary of the data described in subsection 
                (f);
                    (C) the effect of any awarded grants on air 
                pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; and
                    (D) any other data the Administrator determines to 
                be necessary to describe the implementation, outcomes, 
                or effectiveness of such program.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 1 year after funding for 
        the pilot program under this section is expended, or five years 
        after such program is established, whichever comes first, the 
        Administrator shall submit to Congress and make available to 
        the public a report that describes--
                    (A) all of the information collected for the annual 
                reports under paragraph (1);
                    (B) any benefits to the environment or human health 
                that could result from the widespread application of 
                electric transport refrigeration units for short-haul 
                transportation and delivery of perishable goods, 
                including in low-income communities and communities of 
                color;
                    (C) any challenges or benefits that recipients of 
                grants under such program reported with respect to the 
                integration or use of electric transport refrigeration 
                units and associated technologies;
                    (D) an assessment of the national market potential 
                for electric transport refrigeration units;
                    (E) an assessment of challenges and opportunities 
                for widespread deployment of electric transport 
                refrigeration units, including in urban areas; and
                    (F) recommendations for how future Federal, State, 
                and local programs can best support the adoption and 
                widespread deployment of electric transport 
                refrigeration units.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Diesel-powered transport refrigeration unit.--The term 
        ``diesel-powered transport refrigeration unit'' means a 
        transport refrigeration unit that is powered by an independent 
        diesel internal combustion engine.
            (3) Electric transport refrigeration unit.--The term 
        ``electric transport refrigeration unit'' means a transport 
        refrigeration unit in which the compressor of the refrigeration 
        system is driven by an electric motor all or some of the time, 
        including all-electric transport refrigeration units, hybrid 
        electric transport refrigeration units, and standby electric 
        transport refrigeration units.
            (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a regional, State, local, or Tribal agency or 
                port authority with jurisdiction over transportation or 
                air quality;
                    (B) a nonprofit organization or institution that--
                            (i) represents or provides pollution 
                        reduction or educational services to persons or 
                        organizations that own or operate diesel 
                        fleets; or
                            (ii) has, as its principal purpose, the 
                        promotion of air quality;
                    (C) any individual or entity that is the owner of 
                record of a diesel vehicle or fleet which operates for 
                the transportation and delivery of perishable goods;
                    (D) any individual or entity that is the owner of 
                record of a facility which operates as a warehouse or 
                storage facility for perishable goods; and
                    (E) any hospital or public health institution which 
                utilizes refrigeration for storage of perishable goods.
            (5) Heavy-duty vehicle.--The term ``heavy-duty vehicle'' 
        means--
                    (A) a commercial truck or van--
                            (i) used for the primary purpose of 
                        transporting perishable goods; and
                            (ii) with a gross vehicle weight rating 
                        greater than 6,000 pounds; or
                    (B) an insulated cargo trailer used in transporting 
                temperature sensitive goods when mounted on a 
                semitrailer.
            (6) Shore power infrastructure.--The term ``shore power 
        infrastructure'' means electrical infrastructure that provides 
        power to the electric transport refrigeration unit of a heavy-
        duty vehicle when such vehicle is stationary.
            (7) Transport refrigeration unit.--The term ``transport 
        refrigeration unit'' means a refrigeration system installed on 
        a heavy-duty vehicle for the purpose of cooling perishable or 
        temperature-sensitive goods.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000, to remain available 
until expended.
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