EPA greenhouse gas rule would ban conversion of light vehicles to racecars

Automotive News ^ | February 9, 2016 | by Ryan Beene

[Oldeconomybuyer]

An EPA proposal to slash greenhouse gas emissions by medium and heavy duty vehicles would also ban the conversion of street cars into racecars, with far-reaching effects on auto racing and the aftermarket parts industry.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, a trade group representing automotive aftermarket companies, said in a statement late Monday that the EPA's proposal would also make the sale of certain emissions-related parts used on racecars that were originally street cars illegal.

SEMA says it and other affected stakeholders will work to oppose the EPA's proposed ban.

"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," SEMA CEO Chris Kersting said in a statement. "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."

Catalytic converters and other emissions equipment are often removed from road cars that are converted for auto racing competitions.

The EPA's proposal would thwart those modifications by prohibiting the removal or tampering with emissions equipment on passenger cars, even if they are intended to convert a road car purely for racing. Those who make such modifications would be subject to penalties under the proposal.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Heh heh heh

[MileHi]

We are sick and tired of your scope creep.

Yeah. And that goes for all the alphabet scourge agencies. (You hear me BLM?)

[HiTech RedNeck]

They ought to “Superfund” themselves.

Look we are not meanies. But people need to address these issues with some sane sense of duty. The EPA doesn’t just get to be king and queen of the world with nothing but excuses.

[HiTech RedNeck]

There’s only one known Force that can stuff the genies fueling mortal ambition back into the bottle.

[MCOAvalanche]

The EPA has certainly become the true enemy to the US economy. How or where were they granted so much authority?

[umgud]

Ah yes, the ole four branches of gov’t;

Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Regulatory

[HiTech RedNeck]

Inertia.

There’s a reason why the founders’ seeming obsession with scope limitation. It knew the tendency of servants to crown themselves masters.

[factoryrat]

If passed, this will be the death of motorsports, hot-rodding, custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles, along with all of the industries and shops in the aftermarket business.

The NHRA and NASCAR will literally become illegal overnight.

And everyone can thank CARB and their ass-puppets at the EPA for all of this.

[NorthMountain]

address these issues with some sane sense of duty

Civil Servants fancy themselves to be Civil Masters. It doesn't work well.

[HiTech RedNeck]

there’s gonna be a redneck revolution

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-levy-6/redneck-revolution-demo

[HiTech RedNeck]

Maybe if America’s best known boss takes the helm they’ll be a bit more conscientious. If only because he knows how to take it personally. Oh I don’t doubt Cruz’s good intentions but he comes from a different paradigm, the political one, where it is de rigueur to do things in a certain manner. Trump says perform or perish and that doesn’t mean perform pointless tricks either. He’d definitely reflect some kind of reformation effort but it won’t be easy, it’s like he will have gone treading into a snake den.

[NorthMountain]

I don’t agree with your assessment of Trump. He would, however, be preferable to BS Bernie Sanders or the Rampaging Hildebeeste.

[factoryrat]

That’ll work for older vehicles for the time being, until the supply dries up, or worse, the feds go to Japanese vehicle age laws. Think being forced to crush your car every seven years ,and having to buy a new one to replace it.

Or worse, having the feds making it a punishable offense for anyone outside of a “certified” factory dealer to even pop the hood to check the oil.

The goal isn’t emissions control, it’s about turning motor vehicles into iphones; as in a tightly controlled disposable commodity.

[HiTech RedNeck]

a redneck revolution will?

[HiTech RedNeck]

I dunno, he’s known for that proverbial “You’re fired” schtick. You might not be able to turn that sow’s ear into a silk purse but you can at least clean the mud off of it so it’s presentable in public.

Civil service would gain a kind of grudging self respect again.

[factoryrat]

Of course we can never discount the redneck factor. That's the wildcard that the hotrodders and backyard speed demons hold.

If there's a way to get too much horsepower, and almost enough speed out of anything that has wheels and an engine, we'll find it.

Like I said, CARB has been driving the narrative at EPA for years, and Detroit and SEMA have been fighting them for just as long.

All of the improvements in emissions controls have passed the point of diminishing returns, but the tree-bunny huggers won't be happy until you are reliant and your feet or public transit for transportation.

[nascarnation]

Yeah the goal has always been to make private vehicles so safe and so emission free that nobody can afford them.

Statists despise personal mobility. It affords the citizen freedom that is difficult to control.

[hal ogen]

Tyranny.