EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

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DarcShadow
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EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DarcShadow » Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:11 am

This is not cool.

https://www.sema.org/news/2016/02/08/ep ... o-racecars" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
EPA SEEKS TO PROHIBIT CONVERSION OF VEHICLES INTO RACECARS
-- SEMA to Oppose Action as Threat to Modified Racecars and Parts Suppliers --

Washington, DC (February 8, 2016) – 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.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by fixxervi6 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:12 am

holy crap, there goes 9/10ths of the bike mods too
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DarcShadow » Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:19 am

This impacts such a huge range of markets I can't image it passing but dumber things have happened. There is an online petition on that link that has over 52,000 sigs already and it's only been up since yesterday.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by LonestarCBR » Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:11 pm

Lawn mowers and cows are a much bigger problem...and Harley's. :D

On a more serious note...exactly how is it that these guys who bellow huge plumes of black smoke out of their Black Smoke Mafia diesel pickups not hurting things (sorry if I stepped on toes).
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DarcShadow » Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:46 pm

The black smoke from diesel is actually just soot and not really a pollutant, more like littering.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by fixxervi6 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 2:23 pm

Diesels don't pollute nearly as bad as gas in regards to NOx etc. It's the stuff you don't see or smell that is way worse.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by JTChiTown » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:12 pm

Soot is a pollutant. That's why we have particulate filters.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by fixxervi6 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:22 pm

JTChiTown wrote:Soot is a pollutant. That's why we have particulate filters.
It's not that bad, mostly just bad for us local two legged critters breathing it in behind the bus or truck. Not that I'd go sucking on the tail pipe of a diesel but in the terms of global impact it's not as bad as some other fuels (refinement processes and pollutants included).
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by LonestarCBR » Thu Feb 11, 2016 6:52 am

We actually have a smog problem in Stephenville from all the yahoos that richen there's to the point of mosquito fogging. :-)

(I assume it's a richened fuel mixture)
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by Stardog » Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:42 am

Saying that you can't build a race car out of a street car makes as much sense as saying that you can't build a race car out of wood, metal or composite. The original vehicle is only an ingredient or a material. They are targeting off-road/race use only parts that are going on street cars. They are just doing so in a particularly reckless and heavy handed manner.

Bastards.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DemonDuck » Tue Apr 05, 2016 5:54 am

I doubt it will pass.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by nitzer » Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:10 pm

It's not a pass or fail. The act is in place already. The EPA wants to start enforcing it and expanding it to include modifying any vehicle that has existing or previous emissions equipment. Basically it is saying that right now there is an exemption for "RACE" vehicles used in a "RACE". Race as defined as a competition where there is a winner and a loser. Track day bikes that are not "RACED" and would be illegal if the emissions were changed in any way. Any change to the emissions output (Power Commander, exhaust, disabling the PAIR system, etc.) would be illegal and therefore a fine could be imposed. Same would go for cars. So if I had a Miata with a cat delete, computer remap, or any performance mod that modified the emissions output I used as a daily driver and an autocross car, it would be illegal. One could argue that ANY performance change to the vehicle changes the emissions output. They want to ban ANY change to the emissions of a vehicle regardless of whether or not that change was caused by a physical change in equipment.

The expansion of the act would make any race car that has/had emissions equipment modified/removed illegal. It would basically mean if you want to race, you would have to build a vehicle from the ground up or if you race a vehicle in bone stock form.

The expansion would also criminalize any company that makes parts that modify emissions of a vehicle. That could include ANY performance part IMO because any change to the way a car breathes or burns fuel changes it's emissions.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by JTChiTown » Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:52 pm

Thought one of my industry rags indicated Congress shut this down.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by LonestarCBR » Tue Apr 05, 2016 2:24 pm

nitzer wrote:It's not a pass or fail. The act is in place already. The EPA wants to start enforcing it and expanding it to include modifying any vehicle that has existing or previous emissions equipment. Basically it is saying that right now there is an exemption for "RACE" vehicles used in a "RACE". Race as defined as a competition where there is a winner and a loser.
Sounds like club rides are exempt then. :-)
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DemonDuck » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:26 am

It will never happen. If it did then it would all just go out of country and be shipped in. I do most of my ordering online anyway. As for being worried about getting a ticket or whatever.... meh I don't know any cops that would ticket for it even if they knew for sure it was modified and most wouldn't have a clue if it was stock or not. Worst case I pay my ticket and don't think twice about it (kinda like speeding).
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by LonestarCBR » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:45 am

You speed?
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by Stardog » Wed Apr 06, 2016 7:58 am

DemonDuck wrote:Worst case I pay my ticket and don't think twice about it (kinda like speeding).
Generally this sort of ticket requires proof that the vehicle has been "repaired" to continue to be registered for use.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DemonDuck » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:07 am

LonestarCBR wrote:You speed?
Depends on your definition of speeding.
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Re: EPA Proposes to prohibit vehicle conversion

Post by DemonDuck » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:09 am

Stardog wrote:
DemonDuck wrote:Worst case I pay my ticket and don't think twice about it (kinda like speeding).
Generally this sort of ticket requires proof that the vehicle has been "repaired" to continue to be registered for use.
Yea but I find that my registration often is out of date as well. lol. I can throw stock exhaust on quick and show proof then put the good stuff back on. Might take me a couple hours but not a huge deal as I don't even see it as ever being enforced.
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