PLOW Storms Act

Bill Number

H.R. 8782

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Environmental Protection

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-06-19T08:06:16Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose This legislation amends the Clean Air Act to expand the definition of emergency vehicles within the covered fleet category, specifically to include certain municipal snow removal vehicles and machinery.

Key Provisions

• The bill adds language to Section 241(5) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7581(5)), inserting dedicated-use vehicles and machinery owned or operated by state, local, or tribal governments.
• These vehicles must be used primarily for clearing snow or ice from public roads, rights-of-way, or other public property, or for applying anti-icing or de-icing materials.
• The short title is the "Protecting Lifesaving Operations during Winter Storms Act" or "PLOW Storms Act."

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The amendment modifies the existing definition of "emergency vehicles" by providing explicit examples of snow and ice removal equipment as qualifying under this category.
• It does not alter other parts of the Clean Air Act but clarifies inclusion for these specific government-operated assets in fleet-related provisions.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies at state, local, and tribal levels may experience adjusted regulatory treatment for their snow removal fleets under Clean Air Act fleet requirements.
• Citizens could see maintained or improved winter road maintenance capabilities during storms, with no direct effects on international relations identified in the bill.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• State, local, and tribal government units responsible for road maintenance and snow removal operations.
• Municipal fleet operators and public works departments.
• The Environmental Protection Agency, which administers Clean Air Act provisions related to covered fleets.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The change is a statutory clarification to an existing definition, potentially affecting how emissions or alternative fuel standards apply to these vehicles.
• It involves federal authority over environmental regulations impacting local government operations, with no apparent constitutional issues raised in the text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8], Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2026-05-13: Introduced in House
• 2026-05-13: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Protecting Lifesaving Operations during Winter Storms Act — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (2 pages)