House bill to ‘stop EPA from criminalizing family farmers and truckers’ through diesel emissions control mandates
A new bill introduced in the House seeks to protect truckers and farmers by restricting the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce diesel emissions mandates.
On March 26, 2026, Representative Mike Collins introduced the Diesel Truck Liberation Act, which builds on and codifies recent actions by the Trump Administration’s EPA to provide regulatory relief for diesel truck owners and operators.
Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Cynthia Lummis in October 2025.
What Is The Diesel Truck Liberation Act?
Collins said that the bill “will stop the EPA from criminalizing family farmers and truckers through federal emission mandates that do little to help the environment while driving up costs for Americans.”
Specifically, the bill would:
- Stop federal agencies from requiring manufacturers to install or maintain emissions control devices or onboard diagnostic systems
- Remove the EPA’s authority to enforce Clean Air Act requirements related to vehicle emission controls
- Protect individuals sued or prosecuted under federal law for tampering or improving emissions equipment
- Codify the work of Representative Mike Collins and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to ensure that no matter who is in the White House, truckers’ and farmers’ livelihoods are protected
What Are They Saying?
“American truckers and farmers are the backbone of this nation, but the EPA has treated them like criminals for maintaining their own equipment,” said Collins. “The Diesel Truck Liberation Act codifies the work of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to free farmers and truckers from the radical federal emissions mandates of past Administrations and end the bureaucrats’ war on the working class. I am proud that we have an administration focused on delivering for the working class and putting common sense first.”
Co-sponsors of the House version of the Diesel Truck Liberation Act include Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Rep. Barry Moore, Rep. Dave Taylor, Rep. Harriet Hageman, Rep. Mike Ezell, and Rep. Tony Wied.
“Since 2007, increasingly burdensome EPA regulations have ratcheted up, making heavy-duty diesel engines more expensive to repair and less fuel-efficient. These regulations have led to system failures in trucks and forced unplanned, out-of-service periods, often creating dangerous and costly situations for operators, owners, and other motorists.” said Taylor. “These ridiculous government mandates, created by Democratic Administrations, were designed to force the adoption of electric heavy-duty vehicles and should have never been enacted in the first place. I am proud to join Rep. Collins to free small business owners, manufacturers, and mechanics from out-of-touch regulations and protect the safety of everyone who depends on these vehicles to keep America moving forward.”
EPA Responded To Complaints From Truckers On Derates
Zeldin’s EPA has taken several actions over the past year to address complaints from truckers on issue of sudden speed and power losses caused by diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems. These actions include calling on manufacturers to update DEF system software to stop truck derates in order to give operators extra time to repair faults without impacting productivity or safety.
On March 27, 2026, the EPA announced new guidance to remove the DEF sensor requirement for all diesel equipment in an action meant to save truckers and farmers “countless hours of lost time and productivity.”
In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice said that they would no longer issue criminal charges for Clean Air Act violations that involve diesel emissions tampering, though civil penalties could still be issued.