Quote:
EPA Seeks to Prohibit Conversion of Vehicles into Racecars
SEMA To Oppose Action As Threat to Modified Racecars and Parts Suppliers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into racecars. The regulation would also make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal. The proposed regulation was contained within a non-related proposed regulation entitled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles—Phase 2."
The regulation would impact all vehicle types, including the sports cars, sedans and hatch-backs commonly converted strictly for use at the track. While the Clean Air Act prohibits certain modifications to motor vehicles, it is clear that vehicles built or modified for racing, and not used on the streets, are not the "motor vehicles" that Congress intended to regulate.
"This proposed regulation represents overreaching by the agency, runs contrary to the law and defies decades of racing activity where EPA has acknowledged and allowed conversion of vehicles," said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. "Congress did not intend the original Clean Air Act to extend to vehicles modified for racing and has re-enforced that intent on more than one occasion."
SEMA submitted comments in opposition to the regulation and met with the EPA to confirm the agency's intentions. The EPA indicated that the regulation would prohibit conversion of vehicles into racecars and make the sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal. Working with other affected organizations, including those representing legions of professional and hobbyist racers and fans, SEMA will continue to oppose the regulation through the administrative process and will seek congressional support and judicial intervention as necessary.
The EPA has indicated it expects to publish final regulations by July 2016.
In the past, aftermarket parts that eliminated or defeated emissions controls were sold as "for off-highway use only." This meant that you could delete your catalytic converters or install a intake manifold/cylinder head without any EGR ports, without being in violation of EPA regulations, as long as your race car or other off-road vehicle were trailer'd to race track or mud pit and never driven on any public roads or highways.
Now the EPA wants to make it so that even your race car or mud truck must still maintain all of its original emissions controls even though it will never be driven on the street.
I dont know how the EPA plans to enforce this, but it could mean fines to companies that sell equipment that defeats emissions controls and businesses that install the equipment even if the products are sold and labeled "for off-highway use only."
You can sign a petition to try and stop this here:
http://wh.gov/ifXr1
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