DES MOINES — Today, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in Des Moines, Iowa to announce new action to protect American farmers, truckers, and diesel equipment operators from sudden speed and power losses caused by diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) mandates. EPA’s new guidance urges engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software to reduce loss of power and increase time for operators to secure DEF. This will reduce burdensome red tape for small businesses and deliver major cost savings.
SBA estimates that this single regulatory action will have an outsized impact on America’s family farms – saving them $727 million per year and relieving them of costly downtime, equipment repairs, and DEF-related maintenance. With 1.8 million family farms operating nearly 90% of all U.S. farmland, the benefits of this rule are expected to extend across rural America.
“The Trump Administration is fighting for farmers and truckers, as evidenced by the EPA’s new DEF guidance which is a big win for the millions of small businesses who rely on diesel engines - and who have been crushed by years of costly Green New Scam regulations,” said SBA Administrator Loeffler. “This change will save family farms an estimated $727 million per year and offers vital financial and operational certainty. I’m proud to work alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to reduce red tape for our nation’s producers and deliver real relief for hardworking Americans."
“We have heard loud and clear from small businesses across the United States that the current DEF system is unacceptable. It is unacceptable that farmers, truckers, construction workers, and many other small businesses continually experience failures of diesel-powered equipment when they need it most—costing millions of dollars in lost productivity,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin. “Today, we are responding to those concerns by calling on manufacturers to take action to update their software and eliminate the unnecessary sudden loss of power and frustrating shutdowns that too many Americans have experienced.”
To read more about EPA’s new guidance on DEF, visit: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/iowa-state-fair-epa-administrator-zeldin-announces-diesel-exhaust-fluid-def-fix.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.