Congressional Bill To Protect Racing Makes Headlines

SEMA News—April 2016

REQUIRED READING

Congressional Bill To Protect Racing Makes Headlines

In July 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a proposal that would have prohibited the conversion of street vehicles into race cars used exclusively for the track. While the EPA has withdrawn the ill-conceived proposal, the agency continues to assert authority under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate the modification of vehicles used solely for competition, and the issue continues to make headlines.

SEMA supports the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, a bipartisan Congressional Bill that will confirm that the law allows emissions-certified street vehicles to be modified and converted for competition use.

To help the industry get the facts and stay informed, SEMA posted an online resource filled with links to the facts. Included on the page is an FAQ and links to official government documents. Also included are links to news articles such as those below:

The Detroit NewsThe Detroit News

Noting that the issue is still not resolved, The Detroit News reports that the RPM Act “would put in law the decades-old intent of Congress to exclude off-road vehicles from federal emissions regulations.”

  
The Shop MagazineThe SHOP Magazine

The trade magazine was quick to report on the EPA’s action to remove the questionable provision from its proposal, and notes that SEMA remains concerned about the EPA’s interpretation of the law and potential future action.
     
Fortune MagazineFortune Magazine

While the headline reads “The EPA Is Not Going to Ban Your DIY Race Car,” the article clearly states “the issue, however, is far from resolved.”

 
As noted, confusion reigns and only clarifying legislation will confirm that modifying street vehicles for vehicles on the track is legal.
  
Heard in Social Media

“Power of the race industry! It’s a win…for now. Make no mistake. EPA will try to slip this in some other reg.”—Dana Horne on Twitter

“The EPA’s announced it will backtrack on language affecting modified race cars, but RPM Act support is still needed.”—FAST #GoFASTer on Twitter

“Motorsports Avoids Underhanded Move By Regulators! Now we need to nail it down! Please go to SEMA.org/rpm and support the RPM Act!”—Gale Banks on Facebook

“It’s not over yet. Support the RPM Act…get involved, as redacting a little language, isn’t enough.”—Jason Rivas on Facebook

 

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