WASHINGTON — A push in Congress to exempt heavy-duty trucks and equipment from automatic cold-weather shutdowns is gaining momentum with the introduction last week of companion legislation to a Senate bill introduced earlier this month.
The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, mirrors the Senate’s Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025,” introduced by Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., to address what lawmakers call an “onerous cold weather roadblock” in EPA emissions rules.
The bills would require the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to authorize manufacturers to suspend engine derate or shutdown functions in prolonged cold weather conditions.
“In extreme cold, diesel engines can shut down because EPA-mandated emissions systems weren’t designed for the harsh conditions we face in Alaska and across the northern United States,” Sullivan said in a press release after introducing the Senate version.
“That’s not just an inconvenience, it’s a compliance trap for the men and women who keep Alaska moving.”
In supporting the legislation, Samantha Brown, health and safety compliance manager for Anchorage, Alaska-based United Freight and Transport, said that by allowing engine makers to suspend derate or shutdown functions during cold weather, “this bill provides a crucial operational safeguard. It ensures that trucks remain mobile, and drivers remain protected without compromising long-term emissions compliance.”
The legislation would directly affect compliance and design requirements for the largest manufacturers of Class 8 heavy-duty trucks and diesel engines in the U.S., including Volvo Group (OTC: VLVLY), PACCAR Inc. (NASDAQ: PCAR), and Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI).
The bills target primarily trucks operating in Alaska, but relief could also extend to cold climate states in the contiguous U.S. that experience long periods below 12 degrees Fahrenheit, including Wyoming, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and potentially northern parts of Idaho, South Dakota, Michigan, and Maine.
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