The EPA wants to make it illegal to modify your car for racing

[oldgrayleather]

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/02/09/epa-illegal-modify-car-racing-sema-official/

http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/1280x720+0+131/resize/800x450!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/c18daebc936f1cf3eb2bc140546d2e48/203378580/slide_0030.jpeg

The EPA is suggesting vehicle modification is a violation of the clean air act. The regulation they are proposing would "prohibit conversion of vehicles into racecars and make the sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal... SEMA will continue to oppose the regulation through the administrative process and will seek congressional support and judicial intervention as necessary."


PS: not a Miata specific post but know this would affect a lot of us. Well, and the shot Autoblog ran was an NA :).

PPS: they say Tuesday is statistically the most depressing day of the week. This news would seem to ensure that..

[freedomgli]

I wouldn't sweat it. These and other potentially hobby altering regulations come up every few years. They typically amount to very little.

Even if such laws were to pass, road cars and racing cars are on divergent paths and the future of the automobile is driverless autonomous vehicles that exist mostly as a shared service. Individual ownership of legacy motor vehicles will still exist but their use will be relegated to occasional use and limited circumstances (like a Ford Model T is today). If you want a brand new racing car in the future you'll be better off buying a dedicated purpose built racer (www.dpcars.net anyone?) to enjoy at your motorsports country club. As for your Miata, it will either be grandfathered in or will be firmly beyond the EPA's limited enforcement reach.

The world is changing and so is our hobby. That's not to say it's going to be worse. Things may actually work out for the better in the long run. One thing for sure is that change is constant.

[Mazdabp26]

sigh... Motorcycle registration was raised up 65 more, Non CA Catalytic converter cannot be obtain, now this.... BTW next I've read in CA is thinking of TAXing Drivers for every mileage we drive...

[Phatmiata]

probably would only effect Cali people......

still no emissions in Florida :slayer:

[roadsternut]

Isn't SEMA an industry lobby group?

The regulation is "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles—Phase 2"

I guess it means you can't soup up your pickup truck.

SEMA lobbies Congress, to defend the interests of the aftermarket car parts industry, defend American jobs. Also, one of the things it does is spend time hooking up American parts distributors with Chinese parts manufacturers.
https://www.sema.org/china

[Agent☣Orange]

They're just but one lobbying group but obviously impotent against the regulatory maze. That's because they've been more focused on profit rather than serious aftermarket manufacturing dilemmas. This has traditionally been a state issue and IMO, the EPA really has no teeth in this industry much less jurisdiction.

I'd love to see California car enthusiasts actually form a pact and start getting rid of anti-car douchebags at every political level. I mean, California is supposed to represent the latest and greatest in everything automotive yet struggles under severe and oppressive laws.

Is SEMA even in Cali anymore or Nevada?

[wannafbody]

EPA BS brought to you by the same people that put weather monitors next to asphalt parking lots and heater vents and then claim that global temps are rising. It's all just one giant scam and the american people foot the bill for this nonsense.

[Pyr0monk3y]

How are they going to enforce that? I feel like this stuff is just written up to fill quota's these days so that people can keep their cushy jobs writing BS laws that read themselves in circles.

ATE Super Blue is illegal, but I've had my car inspected at the local jiffy lube twice since then and they didn't say a word. I don't think anyone at any link on the legal chain really cares, otherwise it would be enforced.

[RustRat]

There is a petition going on.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/tell-epa-withdraw-its-proposal-prohibit-conversion-vehicles-racecars-0

[Hyper]

is gonna get worst, PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION