RPM Act Hearing

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Bobby DiDomenico

Sadly this may all be a losing battle with pr like this':
EPA Hits Two More Diesel Tuners With $10 Million Fine For Defeat Devices
https://www.yahoo.com/now/epa-hits-t...160400802.html

$10,000,000 fine (civil penalties) for breaking a rule no elected legislators voted on, no one proposed in a bill. Just make it up, and dare them to come fight the government.

[MR DERBY CITY]

It’s difficult to win a battle against IDIOTS . California for instance , record heat wave pushes power grid to the brink…..yet these IDIOTS insist on ELECTRIC VEHICLES and are banning the sale of new gas powered vehicles by 2035. How is that gonna work out ???

[Don Sofranko]

Well I did a quick search and found the SEMA site pretty informing.
In making sense of this, the small guy will probably never get chased down by the EPA, even if the act doesn't get passed. No custom built drag car is going to be fined, no custom off road racing engines are going to be targeted, and the off road stuff is unlikely to get banned.

On the street it could be different.
There are some pretty obnoxious diesel guys on the street, that could get some quick attention.
Common sense would tell me the EPA can't enforce local cases of a cheat device installation on a subtle tuned car here and there. I have yet to see an EPA car with red lights stopping anyone, maybe they are out there?
Can the police possibly be trained nationwide to nab a single car? Doesn't sound possible to me.

But if Larry Larson pulls out of the drag week gate with a big turbo Pro-Line engine, in a new Caddy, while acting like its really a street car, with a VIN and title, well he would be pretty game. Still they are not going to be able to police single cases, and prefer to stop the selling of defeat devices, mostly for diesels.

The SEMA argument
https://www.sema.org/epa-news

The clean air act has been around since 1963. In 2015 the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways. Although the EPA abandoned efforts to make the policy a formal regulation, the agency still maintains the practice of modifying the emission system of a motor vehicle for the purpose of converting it for racing is illegal. Manufacturing, selling, and installing race parts for the converted vehicle would also be a violation.

===========

The other side of the argument, this site says the bill has come up, every year, the last 4-5 years.
Its a very good read, and has good info on the tug of war.
Its complicated so read before blaming one party or person (below are exerts - not my words):

https://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/t...-ruin-our-air/

EPA enforcement under the Clean Air Act has found that about 1 in every 10 diesel trucks has had their emissions controls tampered with.
and
Why the RPM Act keeps coming back
As with most tiny, obscure bills like this, the reason why the RPM Act keeps on being introduced year after year is money. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is the trade association for aftermarket equipment manufacturers, including the companies manufacturing defeat devices, and they have been fighting with EPA for the exemption for at least 5 years.

On the left (SCCA corvette) is what SEMA wants you to think the RPM Act is about. However, less than 5 percent of EPA tampering actions have been for anything related to cars, and there is no evidence of EPA targeting the amateur racing industry. On the right (obnoxious diesel) is what SEMA is actually protecting with the RPM Act by shifting the burden of enforcement from the product to the use of that product.

[Don Sofranko]

So that last site I mentioned, showed an ebay example of something targeted.
A diesel particulate filter defeat tuning device kit.

I went and looked for H & S MiniMAXX tuner sales on ebay, and other sites.
Are these devices still legal?
I would say the EPA is working on them as indicated by other people who have been fined before.

[GUMP]

If the EPA doesn't have their eyes on us, then why the 2015 wording?

The gentleman from the EPA at the hearing never said that they would consider converted VIN numbered cars as exempt. He just said that they were yet to go after them.

To my knowledge, the RPM Act would not protect any street driven vehicle. As a PRI Founding Member I have been in a couple of conversations about this.

If the EPA was on our side, they wouldn't be fighting the PRI....

[SSGT Mustang]

We can be as polite as we want but that won't stop the madness. Livestock is a target for crying out loud. They want to decide what we can eat because, you know, carbon. I guess nobody explained that carbon is EVERYWHERE.

People who believe what the government says are the same people who can be sold the Brooklyn bridge by a NYC panhandler.

How can you defeat what's already been pushed way too far with no end in sight?

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by GUMP

This is way off topic. While I agree with you on this, as someone who both sells and buys on the "global economy", I can tell you that it would be a long painful process to return things to how they used to be.

We have a real opportunity to stop Government overreach. Instead of crying over a boat that has already sailed, maybe participate in saving VIN numbered race cars?

I will agree to disagree with it being way off topic (especially with what BG56 wrote). The government overreach happened in 2008 when Made in the USA went to China! It sucks that I have to look at parts from American companies to be sure they're made by North Americans who are allies instead of adversaries....Thank You JEGS & SUMMIT for posting American made products you sell! I look at many of my fellow racers who have the big rigs and the fast cars, and am quite certain that many of those of us who are nearly my age or older (64), benefitted somehow from products we enjoy that were made by our neighbors (if not us ourselves), than foreign adversaries! I bet those who lost their manufacturing jobs because of 2008's overreach wouldn't care about the "long painful process to return things to how they used to be" (where our manufacturing prowess is concerned! I will agree in "saving VIN numbered race cars, but as for that "boat that has already sailed" comment, as long as I'm breathing, I'll be an advocate for what made America the greatest nation on earth....MADE IN THE USA!!!!

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by GarysZ24

I will agree to disagree with it being way off topic (especially with what BG56 wrote). The government overreach happened in 2008 when Made in the USA went to China! It sucks that I have to look at parts from American companies to be sure they're made by North Americans who are allies instead of adversaries....Thank You JEGS & SUMMIT for posting American made products you sell! I look at many of my fellow racers who have the big rigs and the fast cars, and am quite certain that many of those of us who are nearly my age or older (64), benefitted somehow from products we enjoy that were made by our neighbors (if not us ourselves), than foreign adversaries! I bet those who lost their manufacturing jobs because of 2008's overreach wouldn't care about the "long painful process to return things to how they used to be" (where our manufacturing prowess is concerned! I will agree in "saving VIN numbered race cars, but as for that "boat that has already sailed" comment, as long as I'm breathing, I'll be an advocate for what made America the greatest nation on earth....MADE IN THE USA!!!!

Gary, I started working in the textile industry when I was 18. I have traveled a lot of the World installing machinery. I would gladly discuss international trade with you. Just know that the problem started with NAFTA.

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by GUMP

Gary, I started working in the textile industry when I was 18. I have traveled a lot of the World installing machinery. I would gladly discuss international trade with you. Just know that the problem started with NAFTA.

I would join Gump in discussing the subject with you Gary.
Do you know that every Boeing airplane you fly with the airlines has a big percentage of structural parts made in China? If you are flying in an Airbus airplane, there are even more!
It is part of a global enterprise for competitiveness. Boeing airplanes do not only have parts made in China, but also in Taiwan, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and many other countries.

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Don Sofranko

Well I did a quick search and found the SEMA site pretty informing.
In making sense of this, the small guy will probably never get chased down by the EPA, even if the act doesn't get passed. No custom built drag car is going to be fined, no custom off road racing engines are going to be targeted, and the off road stuff is unlikely to get banned.

On the street it could be different.
There are some pretty obnoxious diesel guys on the street, that could get some quick attention.
Common sense would tell me the EPA can't enforce local cases of a cheat device installation on a subtle tuned car here and there. I have yet to see an EPA car with red lights stopping anyone, maybe they are out there?
Can the police possibly be trained nationwide to nab a single car? Doesn't sound possible to me.

But if Larry Larson pulls out of the drag week gate with a big turbo Pro-Line engine, in a new Caddy, while acting like its really a street car, with a VIN and title, well he would be pretty game. Still they are not going to be able to police single cases, and prefer to stop the selling of defeat devices, mostly for diesels.

The SEMA argument
https://www.sema.org/epa-news

The clean air act has been around since 1963. In 2015 the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways. Although the EPA abandoned efforts to make the policy a formal regulation, the agency still maintains the practice of modifying the emission system of a motor vehicle for the purpose of converting it for racing is illegal. Manufacturing, selling, and installing race parts for the converted vehicle would also be a violation.

===========

The other side of the argument, this site says the bill has come up, every year, the last 4-5 years.
Its a very good read, and has good info on the tug of war.
Its complicated so read before blaming one party or person (below are exerts - not my words):

https://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/t...-ruin-our-air/

EPA enforcement under the Clean Air Act has found that about 1 in every 10 diesel trucks has had their emissions controls tampered with.
and
Why the RPM Act keeps coming back
As with most tiny, obscure bills like this, the reason why the RPM Act keeps on being introduced year after year is money. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is the trade association for aftermarket equipment manufacturers, including the companies manufacturing defeat devices, and they have been fighting with EPA for the exemption for at least 5 years.

On the left (SCCA corvette) is what SEMA wants you to think the RPM Act is about. However, less than 5 percent of EPA tampering actions have been for anything related to cars, and there is no evidence of EPA targeting the amateur racing industry. On the right (obnoxious diesel) is what SEMA is actually protecting with the RPM Act by shifting the burden of enforcement from the product to the use of that product.

With all due respect, I have learned to never say never when it comes to the government. Especially the alphabet agencies (the 4th branch of government not mentioned in the Constitution), which are essentially who control most of our daily lives now. None of those people need to worry about being re-elected.

Current initiatives and expansion by several of them only serve to re-enforce my misgivings about the whole mess.

That said, we still need to contact our elected representatives and let them know our positions.