EPA wants to ban our mods

I hate politics and stay out of it for the most part, but, This is the kinda crap that Pisses me off to no end. There are plenty of other issues that need attention. Stomping on a thriving industry is unacceptable. Posted by Gadget at URD:
It is our belief that businesses should stay out of politics unless it directly affects the business and industry. This is a case where it does. The EPA is trying to shut down the automotive aftermarket and destroy a viable industry that employs a vast number of people. Please consider signing this petition to save the industry and preserve your right to modify your vehicles and race cars. https://view.message.sema.org/?qs=7...85742399fe17035594f721aeac56e7cc3b544a93030af

 

Done!

 

Done

 

Oh and we need to share this as much as possible. Fire at will people!!

 

Why would the Trump run EPA do this?

 

Not enough detail to blindly sign a petition. References to the proposed legislation?

 

Nope, it was posted by Gadget from URD so I shared it.

 

This is on the SEMA website:
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act
The “Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act” clarifies that it is legal under federal law to modify the emissions system of a motor vehicle that is converted for race-use-only. If passed, the legislation will protect Americans’ right to modify street vehicles into dedicated racecars and industry’s right to sell the parts that enable racers to compete.

Problem:

The U.S. Congress exempted race vehicles from regulation under the Clean Air Act in 1970. However, in 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserted that it is illegal to convert a motor vehicle into a racecar if the vehicle’s emissions system no longer remains in its certified configuration. The agency alleges that the Clean Air Act exemption only applies to purpose-built race vehicles (NASCAR, Formula One, sprint cars, etc.). EPA is also claiming authority over any emissions-related parts produced, sold, and installed on motor vehicles converted for racing.

Since the Clean Air Act’s enactment, SEMA is unaware of a single instance in which the EPA previously took the position that the law applies to motor vehicles converted for race-use-only purposes. Before the EPA announced its new interpretation in 2015, industry had a clear understanding that these vehicles are excluded from the Clean Air Act.

Solution:

The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act:

• Confirms that it has always been Congress’ intent that racecars are not included in the Clean Air Act’s definition of regulated “motor vehicles.”

• Makes clear that it has always been legal to modify a street vehicle into a racecar used exclusively at the track.

• Confirms that modifying these vehicles for exclusive track use would not be considered tampering and subject to substantial fines.

 

And now you have something in common with the 2nd amendment crowd. Its about control. Not the products.

 

Why would the FBI target Trump? Why would the House try to impeach him? etc, etc, etc.....There are bad eggs in every branch of government.

 

I read through the EPA press releases and enforcement actions after your SEMA reference and didn’t see anything specific about what SEMA was describing. That said, there were a lot of enforcement actions in 2019 against a lot of manufacturers, especially those doing diesel mods that bypass DPF and other emissions equipment. I can see both sides of the argument.

The problem, in my opinion, isn’t that EPA is trying to take away your ability to create purpose-built rigs. The problem is that there are too many people circumventing the system. “I don’t care what the law says, I’m going to take XYZ off of my vehicle, roll coal because I love dumping black smoke into the convertible beside me at the traffic light” kind of garbage. If you’re a street racer, and you’re driving on the city streets, not the local race track, then you’re not a purpose-built race vehicle. You’re just another jerk on the street flipping off the man making it harder on the folks who are legitimately building purpose-built race machines. This, of course, in the spirit that I’m sure this post was intended.

I appreciate that SEMA is working to ensure that folks who want to race, regardless of where and how, have an opportunity to do that. But we have to do our part as well to ensure the ability to do so is maintained. Otherwise we’re shooting ourselves in the foot.

 

I agree that laws and enforcement for the situations you described are needed. But leave it at the state level like it has been. Why do the feds need to be involved? Washington has a way of lumping a broad description of infractions into these type of laws. As well as the risk of riders on these bills that get passed, that could create problems for us all, in ways we can't imagine right now. I would love to see the state's enforce against bubba diesel blowing smoke into every Prius he comes across. But, I doubt that problem exists as bad in say NJ, compared to Fl where I live. Our inspections have been gone for years and it shows. There's a million beater cars with defective cats polluting way more than the race/drift/off-road vehicles these type of laws will go after.

 

But Trump is responsible for appointing the head of the EPA. Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler are Trump appointees. Much different than independent entities like the House who have voter appointed representatives.

Neither of these EPA appointed administrators are particularly stringent on environmental issues. Pruitt has described himself as a "leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda"and has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry. Wheeler was a lobbyist against the Obama administration's climate regulations for power plants and also sought to persuade the Energy Department to subsidize coal plants, just as a couple of examples.

This why I asked the original question, why would the Trump run EPA do this? This doesn't seem like an issue they would want to enforce. In fact, it seems opposite of what they would do. Just doesn't make sense to me.

 

I thought that would be the case with Trump's people as well. I have found there are older publications about this subject. So it may be a left over from Obama's admin, so for whatever reason it's resurfacing. It could be a smoke screen for a rider that's involved, or a power play by the aftermarket industry, trying to make us think there is something going to get voted on when there isn't.

 

I'm ready

 

Is it to much to ask that the government leave us alone?

 

That's what it sounds like. You would think the Trump admin would squash it quickly if it had anything to do with the Obama admin.