EPA Trying To Ban The Conversion Of Street Cars Into Race Cars?

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
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How far would the Environmental Protection Agency go to cut greenhouse emissions on vehicles? According to SEMA, the trade association that represents the automobile aftermarket industry, the EPA is working to ban the conversion of street cars into competition-focused racing vehicles.

In a statement released late last night, SEMA accused the EPA of hiding this proposed goal in a dense, esoteric, 629-page document in the Federal Register published last summer.

We are still going through the massive document, but this seems to be the portion that has raised the ire of SEMA and, soon enough, enthusiasts everywhere: Certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines and their emission control devices must remain in their certified configuration even if they are used solely for competition or if they become non-road vehicles or engines; anyone modifying a certified motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine for any reason is subject to the tampering and defeat device prohibitions of paragraph (a)(3) of this section and 42 U.S.C.

From that language, it seems as though any tampering with emissions controls would be outlawed, even if the vehicle isn’t a street-legal one used only for competition.

At the same time, additional language in the gigantic, complex Federal Register document implies competitive vehicles would be exempted under the regulations: Competition engines/equipment. (i) For uncertified engines/equipment that are excluded or exempted as new engines/equipment from any requirements of this chapter because they are to be used solely for competition, you may not use any of them in a manner that is inconsistent with use solely for competition.

We are still trying to figure out what all of this means. But SEMA, which has opposed the rules since last year, says this proposed 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.”

EPA officials have not yet responded to an email from Jalopnik seeking clarification on the intent of the proposed rule, whether the agency has studied its effects on the racing and aftermarket industries, or what the penalties could be if someone is found to be in violation.

SEMA also said they sought to clarify the rule with the EPA, only to learn the agency “indicated that the regulation would prohibit conversion of vehicles into race cars and make the sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal.”
As Automotive News points out, traditionally cars used only for racing are not held to the same emissions standards as stock vehicles, even if they were converted from stock vehicles.

SEMA added this in their statement: “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.”

More on this as we get it.

Contact the author at patrick@jalopnik.com
 

HolyCrapItsFast

Drinks beer!
I'm surprised the clean air act hasn't outlawed farting. I'm sure that's where all of this is going because the Gov't can't keep its nose out of our personal business and it is on a which hunt to make everything that makes us happy a crime.
 

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
The government has gone insane. Freedom is going out the window daily.

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War_Panda04

STill Plays With Toys!
im really starting to want to just pick everything up and leave this country. id love to go back to Germany but heavily modified cars are illegal on the street. (says my cousin. idk if she is right)
 

HolyCrapItsFast

Drinks beer!
Yeah she's correct. You can't even have a wing. Seems your best option for the time being is right here.
 

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
Funny thing is our 2004 STi has been pulled over for the wing, lol. We know the 2016 will be also. ?

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War_Panda04

STill Plays With Toys!
Funny thing is our 2004 STi has been pulled over for the wing, lol. We know the 2016 will be also. 

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i have also been pulled over for my wing. told me it was an obstruction of view. i said go tell SOA that because thats factory installed. hes like uhhh well what about the top one (roof vane) yup same thing and thats not in my line of view at all
 
yeah.. epa can suck it..

pulled over for a stock STi wing? really? wow.. cop must have had something up his ass.
 

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
Yep! This has happened more than once, lol.

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SMY Performance

On Vacation
I'm surprised the clean air act hasn't outlawed farting. I'm sure that's where all of this is going because the Gov't can't keep its nose out of our personal business and it is on a which hunt to make everything that makes us happy a crime.

The fart thing is hilarious! :rofl:
 
I'm not going to comply with any type of bullshit like that should it pass. Reading this makes me want to put a larger turbo on.
 

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
I'm not going to comply with any type of bullshit like that should it pass. Reading this makes me want to put a larger turbo on.
Preach it brother!

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HolyCrapItsFast

Drinks beer!
i have also been pulled over for my wing. told me it was an obstruction of view. i said go tell SOA that because thats factory installed. hes like uhhh well what about the top one (roof vane) yup same thing and thats not in my line of view at all

Cops tell me that the wing is illegal in the state of NY... I tell them it is not... They tell me yes it is... Then I throw it in their face... "Officer... according to NYS VTL article 9 paragraph 375 section 10, mirror laws... Any permanent structure on the rear of a vehicle that may impede a drivers view out of the rear window is acceptable provided the car have a left and a right rear view mirror". After that I argue your point and suggest they take it up with Subaru and I reinforce that by telling them that Subaru would not even be allowed to offer the car in the United State if it did not pass any and all federal safety standards including the mirror laws. I do not believe that NY state has the right to override the feds in this regard.

If it helps you can just print out this page and hand it to the cop when he tries to tell you your wing is illegal. Just highlight this point... "If there is a permanent obstruction to the rear window, dual outside mirrors are required. (This includes all truck tractors.)"

http://www.safeny.ny.gov/equipmen.htm
 

IGOTASTi

System Operator
Staff member
Cops tell me that the wing is illegal in the state of NY... I tell them it is not... They tell me yes it is... Then I throw it in their face... "Officer... according to NYS VTL article 9 paragraph 375 section 10, mirror laws... Any permanent structure on the rear of a vehicle that may impede a drivers view out of the rear window is acceptable provided the car have a left and a right rear view mirror". After that I argue your point and suggest they take it up with Subaru and I reinforce that by telling them that Subaru would not even be allowed to offer the car in the United State if it did not pass any and all federal safety standards including the mirror laws. I do not believe that NY state has the right to override the feds in this regard.

If it helps you can just print out this page and hand it to the cop when he tries to tell you your wing is illegal. Just highlight this point... "If there is a permanent obstruction to the rear window, dual outside mirrors are required. (This includes all truck tractors.)"

http://www.safeny.ny.gov/equipmen.htm
BOOM! ??

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Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
:angry: You guys know how I feel about this type of behavior from our government. The crooks and tyrants will never let up. Sadly, this is only a tiny fraction of the fuckery they've been up to. Without going off on a wild tangent about the anti-American, anti-liberty and frankly, horrific things, our government is doing...I'll just leave you with this instead. At least it'll take your mind off the race car issue...

*Wyoming family faces $75,000 per day fines from EPA for building pond on their own land*
http://poorrichardsnews.com/wyoming-family-faces-75000-per-day-fines-from/



"No matter how paranoid or conspiracy-minded you are, what the government is actually doing is worse than you imagine."
-William Blum (former State Department official)

Eventually, they're going to push us too far. :rambo:
 
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