EPA vs. race cars, if you race and/or build cars, read this.

First of all, I know political discussions are frowned upon, BUT this has the potential to ruin the hobby, people's livelihood, aftermarket manufacturers, the entire sport. All of us could become criminals, simply for doing what we do.

https://www.sema.org/news/2016/02/08/epa-seeks-to-prohibit-conversion-of-vehicles-into-racecars

I suggest you read this and contact your representatives to express you thoughts on the matter.

Moparts, I try to respect the rules. Not trying to start a $%^& storm. This needs to be confronted head on. Thanks.

Only cure for this level of control is chronic lead poisoning to the morons in the EPA. They would rather the population be standing in a food line addicted to Opioids than be free to build whatever they want.

*!%@#$
The Employment Prevention Agency is at it again

Here's my first question:

Based on this: QUOTE: "sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal".

How will the EPA know if my new sheet metal intake and dominators are for a converted passenger car or my dragster??

So it seems that it's real impact would be on the chassis guy who does a back half and cage for a passenger car???? So then it would be illegal to build a Pro Street, Pro touring or show car, too???

Wow...the EPA is nuts. However, all of the gross polluting refineries in the area here can PURCHASE environmental "credits" for the appropriate amount of pollution they disburse.

These are the best quotes I can find that people have found in the proposed legislature, this is a huge document to go through.



and



Wouldn't this still allow you to race a non emissions certified car? and possibly a purpose built car like a pro mod or a dragster?

I would guess that they are attacking chips and cat removal mods.

I am pretty sure removing any federally mandated emissions control equipment is already illegal in the first place. Stuff like this is why you should support SEMA and its member organization. Oh yeah that includes the NHRA

EPA would lose that lawsuit. They don't have jurisdiction once the car isn't on a Federal roadway. The current EPA admin is trying very hard to expand their control. They have lost almost every lawsuit so far and will continue to lose them as long as the Supreme Court membership stays the same. We'll see what happens with the next admin. Could get worse or could get better.

Link to a good article in one of the online trade publications...

http://theshopmag.com/news/epa-seeks-prohibit-conversion-vehicles-racecars

This will be finalized in July. Sign petitions if you like, but you must call or email your congress person NOW.


I appreciate everyone keeping this thread civil and on subject. Let's not say anything to get it axed.

Chips and "test pipes" were addressed years ago. This goes way beyond that.

As I understand it, modifications to or removing emissions control equipment is illegal for vehicles registered and driven on public roads. Always has been. But there has always been a "legal for off road use only" exemption for race cars and other off road competition and recreational use vehicles that were once federally certified, but are no longer used on public highways, and the parts and pieces used to build such vehicles. That was Congress' intent. EPA intends to eliminate that exemption.

Think no more big blocks in slant six Dusters, Stockers or Super Stockers that were not factory race cars, fast "street" cars built on OE bodies, etc. In other words, your '73 Dart or '82 Camaro or '89 Fox body Mustang has to remain as it was built and certified for federal emissions.

I have no idea of what they think will happen to all of the cars this will affect. Anyone who has dealt with trying to get a car inspected that had the AIR pump or the cat removed or failed an emissions inspection and had to either fix it, junk it or pay some kind of penalty, can use their imagination. I can assure you, dealing with the EPA will not be like dealing with your buddy down at the shop when you get your state inspection done.

I understand the issues believe me. Removing that equipment has always been a federal violation period. Taking off an air pump, transplanting a Bb where a SB was. Building a HP motor and putting it in a newer car, all those things have been federally illegal for ions. That is nothing new. This does go quite a bit further but also echoes much of the standing law already. I also second what Andy says, these cases routinely get thrown our of court as the EPA oversteps its authority. In many states Smog inspections are state administered at state facilities so no good guy deal there. Most also have a cap on dollar amounts needed to receive a waiver. The key is these are state administered programs not federally run programs.


Like I said before this is the biggest reason to support SEMA and its member organizations. They are the lobbying body for this kind of legislation. Calling your Congressman or Senator is a good idea too, but not sure it will matter given how things are done in this city anymore.
I have had to deal with the EPA directly for years in my job working in and for the USAF. There is no reasoning with them, it is there way or the highway, meaning their interpretation of the law as they choose to read it at that particular time by that particular inspector. One of the reasons they loose so many suits is the inherent overstepping of their authority. Very well known in industries that deal directly with the EPA that they rule the world or at least feel they do.

It seems to me that the EPA could make a bigger dent in emissions if they passed a law to cancel the annual Superbowl. How much fuel is consumed by people travelling to the game, travelling to other locations to watch the game, etc, etc..

Give an inch and they'll take a mile.

and of course they have no clue how many job's that they would kill if they succeed in making these decision's stick,,,where do they find these people anyway.

Yeah you can bet everyone at the EPA is driving electric cars. Wearing hemp cloths made by hand not from some textile sweatshop powered by burning old tires in some foreign country. They raise hell about nuclear power plants. But they sure don't care about 6000 servicemen on a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. Where they work and live around the reactor 24hrs a day. Its like PEETA pee ons. What the hell do those people eat and drink. You can't tell me there ain't one of them hasn't sneaked off in their leather shoes and as a hamburger. With a EPA guy driving them to the Mcdonald's in a diesel truck with a tuner on it. LOL

Divide and conquer.
First the newbies(anything made during the so called emissions era) and then they'll group the oldies into a corner like cattle and try and slaughter them.
"People shouldn't be afraid of their Government, Governments should be afraid of their people"

OK ladies and gentlemen for one you should always be concerned if the EPA gets involved in any matter. I work for the State of Nevada Bureau of Air Pollution Control. We work with the Clean Air Act daily and are in constant contact with EPA.
Like Al said by supporting SEMA and NHRA you are doing a lot if you add a call to your local Senator and Governor you will help the cause even more.

Do what you can to get your voice heard! We all love the sport of drag racing and modifying cars, if you want to keep your freedoms call, vote, and most of all pay attention. Taking action on these kind of matters help win lawsuits against the EPA and believe me we need a lot more wins.

Not to worry guys,The Supreme Court struck down the EPA and Obama Administration's ability to enforce the New Clean Air Act yesterday. I doubt if this part of the law will be able to survive their scrutiny either. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/us/pol...tions.html?_r=0

FWIW Emissions controls started on 1967, so don't think this would only apply to later model stuff...Just saying

That case/issue was regarding coal burning for electric generation.

Different law than the racecar issue.

The EPA has more rules/regulations in multiple layers it is near impossible to keep up what they are doing.

That is how SEMA missed it initially. Buried in non related paragraphs to camouflage it.

John

It is buried in a proposed regulation entitled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles—Phase 2.".

Call or email your congress person.

Here is the petition to sign to start the process to stop it. Need 61,000 signatures by march 10 2016.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petitio...cles-racecars-0

http://jalopnik.com/how-and-why-you-can-weigh-in-on-the-epas-proposed-race-1758288770

"Most of those online petition sites don’t really do much. There’s been dozens of whitegouse.gov petitions over the years to kill the 25-year import ban, and Barack Obama still hasn’t given us the Nissan Skylines we demand.

Instead, and happily, our very own government has a system in place for the public to comment on the proposed new rules, and in these comments, we can explain, loudly and confidently, that these changes are insipid and benefit no one, and have a real economic, cultural, and quality-of-life cost for the businesses that have developed around racing and the many, many voting participants in these races.

To comment, you’ll want to go here, to the Federal Register, first.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles...uty-engines-and

There you can find the full text of the proposal, and can find and cite the 40 CFR 1037.601(a)(3) section that’s hoping to exclude competition cars from the 40 CFR 1068.235 nonroad competition use exemption. It can’t hurt to be specific.

Then, you’ll go here, to Regulations.gov,

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0827

If you follow that link there that will take you to the specific page for the EPA document in question.

There, you’ll see this comment button:

How And Why You Can Weigh In On The EPA's Proposed Race Car Rules
Click there, and it’ll take you to the comment page. Follow the instructions from there, and feel free to copy and paste from our articles on this if that helps. At this moment, the document has nearly 225,000 comments, so let’s try and get that number up even higher so there’s no way the feds can ignore this.

Hopefully, if enough of us express concern at this proposal, and the overall lack of respect for small-scale racing that it represents, we will be able to stop this in its tracks before it can potentially cause the racing community any harm."

More good info on this subject. I have added my support against this attack!

Link to another article on The Shop site.

http://theshopmag.com/news/industry-backs-petition-opposing-epa-s-motorsports-threat

I don't put much faith in the influence of these petitions, but I am signing and doing everything else that I think will help.

Call and email your congress person. That will help.

Interesting thread about this over at Class Racer. An informative attorney's evaluation of the EPA's proposed change is copied in a post on page 5 of that thread. I won't copy it here as it is lengthy, but it is worth reading.

Got a link to the write up

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=61188&page=5

This kinda crap pops up about every 10-15 years. Reminds me of the NRA "they're gonna take out guns away" tactics. In ether case, aint never gonna happen - no matter what you or I do.

At my age I've lost all hope in the government but I still contacted my representatives. Aside from the usual talking points about numbers, revenues and participation in the entire motorsports industry which can be found easily on line, I reminded them that both Jeg's and Summit Racing are located in Ohio.

Digging a little deeper in a new article...

http://theshopmag.com/news/news-blog-confusing-case-epa-s-position-racing-mods

Seems the EPA has taken the position that what we've been doing since 1968 is and has always been illegal, I.E. converting and/or modifying street cars that were federally certified for use on public roads and they are just now getting around to doing something about it.

Call or email your congress person. Do it often. I know from my involvement in other, non-automotive and non-PC activities, they pay attention when a group of people get angry and speak up. But do it respectfully.

Here's a nice summary of the consequences:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2016/02/...amp;bid=1309601

See the link to a Motor Trend article I found this morning. The real target will be manufactures of performance parts, and anyone who sells them. Cut off the supply, and kill the sport/hobby.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/epas-real-target-the-automotive-aftermarket/

John

Elections have consequences. Vote wisely, and above all...Informed, or don't vote. Thanks.

You got that right.... this place is turning into...
never mind

Update on the subject at hand.

http://theshopmag.com/features/sema-seeks-congressional-support-opposing-epa-racing-mod-rules

Call and/or email your congressional representatives. SEMA is taking this seriously, everyone with any involvement in the sport, hobby, industry, etc., should as well.

Well they should, its a do or die situation.

The article mentions the EPA is trying to drum up support from congress, seems backwards to me.

From the article, "There wasn’t consensus on the EPA side that they were willing to take any action to address these concerns of ours.”

Why should that surprise anyone?

EPA Administrator McCarty appear before a congressional committee last week. In the middle of the 3 hour session, this 2 1/2 minute exchange took place between she and Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYbv8PIwqgs

Some people in Congress are paying attention to this. They need to know that we are also.

I like the exchange in the link you posted, however, the devil is in the details, the Congressman from the great state of Ga focused on "race cars", the EPA is saying a certified vehicle cannot be converted into a "race car" and thereby made exempt from regulations, they are still on two different pages.

As my Grand pa said if their mouth is moving they are lying...

Just remember the EPA said the air @ Ground Zero after 9/11 was safe to breath.

I applaud Congressman Scott for bring it up...

They like to say......that what they say......isn't really what they're saying. If anyone in Congress had have a brain the budget for the EPA would be 1/16th of what it currently is.

This is a link to a change.org petition that will go to members of Congress. Please go to the petition, read it and sign. Leave a comment if you desire.

https://www.change.org/p/president-of-th...medium=copylink

Thanks to everyone calling, emailing and spreading the word, this issue is getting noticed. Marco Rubio has posted on his website his opposition to these new regulations with a link to the Whitehouse petition, encouraging people to sign it.

Also, EPA has reopened the public comment period for these regs.

An EPA spokeswoman has said “The EPA remains primarily concerned with cases where the tampered vehicle is used on public roads, and more specifically with aftermarket manufacturers who sell devices that defeat emission control systems on vehicles used on public roads.”

They intend to go after anything with tags on it that has had ANY modifications. More important is their intention to go after the aftermarket manufacturers, fine and penalize them and attempt to force them to stop making the parts and pieces we use.

Go to the link and leave your comments for the EPA here...

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=NHTSA-2014-0132-0001

I believe that anyone with a street rod will
end up having a problem... hell my 416 is better
now with injection than it was when it was new with
a carb.. the engine didnt have a cat on it originally
but the Rampage did have a cat and that was it... but
here in Mich we dont have any emission testing, havent
had it for years... and there was a ruling that said if
it cost more than $300 to correct any emissions parts on
it it would be exempt... but now days I have no idea what
they will do(EPA)and will the cops be made to enforce it..
this sure could play hell for us drag week guys.. I've
done all I can do with calls and e-mails to the reps and
senators but EPA thinks they are GOD and all they have
to say is that they are cleaning up the air... but big
factories are still pouring out crap into the air and
into the water

I wish there was a petition to completely de-fund the EPA altogether. They are nothing but a splinter group of America hating commies, f'em.

They have there place BUT they have gone way
too far and in many cases in the wrong direction
but your right... with this latest thing they will
kill the hot rods all together(if they get their way)

I've signed it myself, and I've sent an e-mail to a bunch of friends and family members who I believe will also take issue w/ the proposed regulations and sign the petition, too.

I signed my e-mail: "Thanks, and rev on!"

Brad

Got this email a few hours ago. Seems like they have been asleep at the wheel, for an industry that is nearly 100% effected by this edict.

But the proposed legislation would keep things as they are, they need to put the genie back in the bottle.

"
Urgent: Support Legislation to Overturn EPA Race Car Regulation!

Attention Motorsports Professionals:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into race cars. The regulation would also make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal. The regulation would impact all vehicle types, including the sports cars, sedans and hatch-backs commonly converted strictly for use at the track.

The good news is that SEMA is at the forefront of an effort to prevent the EPA regulation from taking effect and we have an action step that you can take to help get the job done!

Congressional legislation (H.R. 4715), the “Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016” (RPM Act), has been introduced. The language in H.R. 4715 makes clear that competition-only cars, including converted street vehicles, are excluded from EPA regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Please contact your member of Congress and urge them to support the RPM Act by clicking here.

PRI is proud to partner with SEMA on this critical issue. For the future of your business and the sport of auto racing, we ask that you join us in the worthwhile fight!

Thank you.

John Kilroy
Publisher of Performance Racing Industry Magazine
Producer of the PRI Trade Show
PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY
Office 949.499.5413
SHOW :: MAGAZINE :: WEB


Twitter :: Facebook :: Linked-In :: Instagram :: YouTube

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, and any documents, files or previous e-mail messages attached to it, may contain confidential information that is legally privileged. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify us by reply e-mail or by telephone at 949.499.5413 and destroy the original transmission. Thank you.


Performance Racing Industry, 31706 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

If it keeps things the way they are then why is it in new regulations? I don't trust my govt one iota, and especially the climate extremist sector.

http://bangshift.com/general-news/sema-e...ed-in-congress/

Thanks for the new link guys... done... anything
that will keep the EPA at bay

The membership did change. Thus if a suit is lost against the epa, an appeal that goes to the Supremes wont matter. It would take a majority vote and since they do not in fact vote based on law, but rather ideology. A tie would leave the lost suit intact. The current configuration leaves a tie in a hyper partisan case the outcome. Vice versa a lower court blocking the epa action would hold as well.

Both of those are moot if a democrat installs the next justice, as they would then crown the epa the winner. A suit in this case will take years to get that far anyway.

Not a political post. Explaining the mechanics of the system.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4715/text

Just a friendly reminder. This linked proposed legislation got drafted because of a vocal outcry from many, and it seems got the attention of at least of three people who who can fix this. However, unless a few hundred of their colleagues agree, nothing will improve. We are not out of the woods yet. A note to your representative, etc, encouraging enactment, so they can feel which way the wind is blowing, will certainly help get this enacted. They don't do much good for us on their own, unless they feel the heat, IMO. Keep at it.