Fostering and Realizing Electrification by Encouraging Zero Emission Refrigeration Trucks Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1335 | Sponsor: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. (D-NY)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Fostering and Realizing Electrification by Encouraging Zero Emission Refrigeration Trucks Act of 2021 or the FREEZER Trucks Act of 2021
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a pilot program to award grants, rebates, or low-cost revolving loans for electrifying or retiring diesel-powered transport refrigeration units in certain heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., commercial trucks).

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 ``FREEZER Trucks Act of 2021'' or the 
``Fostering and Realizing Electrification by Encouraging Zero Emission 
Refrigeration Trucks Act of 2021''.

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

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--The Administrator shall 
establish and carry out a pilot program to award funds, in the form of 
grants, rebates, and low-cost revolving loans, as determined 
appropriate by the Administrator, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
entities to carry out projects described in subsection (b).
    (b) Projects.--An eligible entity receiving an award of funds under 
subsection (a) may use such 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 or retrofitting the 
        existing diesel-powered transport refrigeration unit in such 
        vehicle with an electric transport refrigeration unit and 
        retiring the replaced unit for scrappage.
            (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 and operate without using diesel fuel.
    (c) Maximum Amounts.--The amount of an award of funds under 
subsection (a) shall not exceed--
            (1) for the costs of a project described in subsection 
        (b)(1), 75 percent of such costs; and
            (2) for the costs of a project described in subsection 
        (b)(2), 55 percent of such costs.
    (d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive an award of funds 
under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit to the 
Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Administrator may require, 
including--
            (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 technology to be used or funded by the 
                eligible entity; and
                    (B) a description of the heavy-duty vehicle or 
                vehicles of the eligible entity, that will be 
                retrofitted, if any, 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 including to verify scrappage of any replaced units.
    (e) Priority.--In awarding funds 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 under section 109 of the Clean Air Act (42 
        U.S.C. 7409), particularly for--
                    (A) ozone; and
                    (B) particulate matter.
    (f) Data Release.--Not later than 120 days after the date on which 
an award of funds 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 
award of funds, including--
            (1) the name and location of the recipient;
            (2) the total amount of funds awarded;
            (3) the intended use or uses of the awarded funds;
            (4) the date on which the award of funds was approved;
            (5) where applicable, an estimate of any air pollution or 
        greenhouse gas emissions avoided as a result of the project 
        funded by the award; and
            (6) any other data the Administrator determines to be 
        necessary for an evaluation of the use and effect of awarded 
        funds provided 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 amounts made available 
        to carry out this section are fully expended, the Administrator 
        shall submit to Congress and make available to the public a 
        report that describes, with respect to the applicable year--
                    (A) the number of applications for awards of funds 
                received under such program;
                    (B) all awards of funds made under such program, 
                including a summary of the data described in subsection 
                (f);
                    (C) the estimated reduction of annual emissions of 
                air pollutants regulated under section 109 of the Clean 
                Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7409), and the estimated reduction 
                of greenhouse gas emissions, associated with the awards 
                of funds made under such program;
                    (D) the number of awards of funds made under such 
                program for projects in communities described in 
                subsection (e)(3); and
                    (E) 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 amounts made 
        available to carry out this section are fully expended, or 5 
        years after the pilot 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 or 
                other goods requiring climate-controlled conditions, 
                including in low-income communities and communities of 
                color;
                    (C) any challenges or benefits that recipients of 
                awards of funds 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 refrigeration or climate-
        control system is driven by an electric motor when connected to 
        shore power infrastructure or other equipment that enables 
        transport refrigeration units to connect to electric power, 
        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 
                        individuals or organizations that own or 
                        operate heavy-duty vehicles or fleets of heavy-
                        duty vehicles; or
                            (ii) has, as its principal purpose, the 
                        promotion of air quality;
                    (C) an individual or entity that is the owner of 
                record of a heavy-duty vehicle or a fleet of heavy-duty 
                vehicles that operates for the transportation and 
                delivery of perishable goods or other goods requiring 
                climate-controlled conditions;
                    (D) an individual or entity that is the owner of 
                record of a facility that operates as a warehouse or 
                storage facility for perishable goods or other goods 
                requiring climate-controlled conditions; or
                    (E) a hospital or public health institution that 
                utilizes refrigeration for storage of perishable goods 
                or other goods requiring climate-controlled conditions.
            (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 or other goods 
                        requiring climate-controlled conditions; and
                            (ii) with a gross vehicle weight rating 
                        greater than 6,000 pounds; or
                    (B) an insulated cargo trailer used in transporting 
                perishable goods or other goods requiring climate-
                controlled conditions 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 on a property 
        where such vehicle is parked or loaded, including a food 
        distribution center or other location where heavy-duty vehicles 
        congregate.
            (7) Transport refrigeration unit.--The term ``transport 
        refrigeration unit'' means a climate-control system installed 
        on a heavy-duty vehicle for the purpose of maintaining the 
        quality of perishable goods or other goods requiring climate-
        controlled conditions.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $30,000,000, to remain available until 
        expended.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--The Administrator may use not 
        more than 1 percent of amounts made available pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) for administrative expenses to carry out this 
        section.
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