A 8998: Enacts the "dollars for diesels act"; directs the commissioner of environmental conservation, in consultation with the New York state energy research and development authority, to establish and administer a program to provide financial incentives to owners of heavy- and medium-duty diesel-powered vehicles of a model year two thousand ten or older to retire and replace such vehicles with new heavy- or medium-duty diesel-powered vehicles of model year two thousand twenty-four or newer that meet or exceed applicable emission standards.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8998 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY August 13, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to enacting the "dollars for diesels act" relating to financial incen- tives for the retirement of certain heavy- and medium-duty vehicles The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "dollars for diesels act". 3 § 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new 4 section 19-0333 to read as follows: 5 § 19-0333. Dollars for diesels program. 6 1. Definitions: When used in this section: 7 a. "Heavy-duty vehicle" means any vehicle powered by diesel fuel 8 having a gross weight of greater than twenty-six thousand pounds. 9 b. "Medium-duty vehicle" means any vehicle powered by diesel fuel 10 having a gross weight of greater than fourteen thousand pounds but no 11 more than twenty-six thousand pounds. 12 2. The commissioner, in consultation with the New York state energy 13 research and development authority, shall establish and administer a 14 program to provide financial incentives to owners of heavy- and medium- 15 duty vehicles of a model year two thousand ten or older to retire and 16 replace such vehicles with new heavy- or medium-duty vehicles of model 17 year two thousand twenty-four or newer that meet or exceed the applica- 18 ble emission standards. 19 3. For a vehicle to be eligible for the vehicle retirement incentive 20 under this section, such vehicle shall be a heavy-duty vehicle or a 21 medium-duty vehicle, and shall have been registered in the state of New 22 York for at least three consecutive years preceding the model year of 23 the replacement vehicle. Registration shall be continuous and active, 24 with the vehicle in operable condition and part of a functioning fleet. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13430-02-5 
 A. 8998 2 1 4. Incentives may include direct cash payments, grants, or vouchers 2 payable upon proof of vehicle retirement and replacement as specified by 3 the department and the New York state energy research and development 4 authority. 5 5. The program shall utilize existing state and federal funds allo- 6 cated to the department and the New York state energy research and 7 development authority for diesel emissions reduction and clean transpor- 8 tation initiatives. 9 6. The commissioner and the New York state energy research and devel- 10 opment authority shall promulgate regulations or guidelines as necessary 11 to implement this section, including eligibility criteria, funding 12 amounts, and program administration. 13 7. The commissioner shall report annually to the governor and the 14 legislature on program outcomes. 15 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.