Press Releases

Today, Rep. Jack Bergman, joined by Reps. Tony Wied and Pete Stauber, introduced the Protecting Lifesaving Operations during Winter Storms Act, or the PLOW Storms Act, legislation aimed at ensuring snowplow operators and road commissions can keep critical winter response vehicles operational during severe winter weather events.

The legislation addresses growing concerns from road commissions and public works departments regarding increasingly unreliable diesel emissions systems that can force snowplows into reduced-power “derate” modes or sideline trucks entirely during dangerous winter storms.

“For communities across the First District, snowplows are not optional - they are lifesaving equipment,” said Rep. Bergman. “When plow trucks are disabled during winter storms because of federal emissions mandates, lives are put at risk. The PLOW Storms Act restores common sense by ensuring our road commissions have the flexibility and reliability they need to keep roads open, emergency vehicles moving, and families safe.”

The legislative proposal was developed following conversations between Rep. Bergman and road commission leaders in Chippewa County.

Robert Laitinen, Manager of the Chippewa County Road Commission, noted, “The (PLOW Storms Act) is a tremendous step forward that will provide the Chippewa County Road Commission and all other agencies like us the regulatory certainty that we need to be able to modify our existing heavy diesel fleet and to order new units in a configuration that allows us to regain the reliability that we once enjoyed and that the motoring public deserves."

Laitinen continued, "Having multiple plow trucks down during a winter storm event due to unreliable diesel emissions equipment or enduring imposed loss of engine power (derate events) due to overzealous emissions regulations is not simply an inconvenience - in our line of work it endangers many lives. Thank you to Congressman Bergman for having the fortitude to bring this issue to light and for offering a very reasonable and functional solution. This measure, if passed, will be a major improvement in overall public safety for every resident in Michigan and the rest of the snowbelt states.”

The PLOW Storms Act seeks to provide local agencies with greater certainty and operational flexibility to maintain dependable winter maintenance fleets capable of responding effectively during severe snow and ice events.