Earlier this year, everyone in the automotive aftermarket industry was sent into sheer panic over news that the EPA wanted to ban the use of almost all aftermarket parts on production based vehicles. It was SEMA that stepped up and brought the issue to the attention of professionals who would feel the burn, and enthusiasts who would lose their lifestyle.
After gearheads and industry professionals pushed back, the EPA did end up backing down, for now. It was this incident that has left a lot of people leery about future proposals/bans/laws, etc. that would rip a multi-billion dollar industry to shreds, and make it illegal for many people to modify their own cars. The question remains, is this even possible?
As of right now, the industry is pretty much at the mercy of the EPA. If they wanted to push something through, who knows how far it would get? Given that the current administration has called on the EPA to focus on the automotive industry more so now than ever before, bans could come through pretty quickly.
North Carolina Congressman, Patrick, McHenry, wants to stop the EPA from having the power to interfere with people modifying a vehicle. He has introduced the RPM Act that would stop the legislation from ever going through. McHenry explains that the only way to stop the EPA is by blocking him, which is what he seeks to do. He urges the public to call and write their congress representative and express support for the RPM Act.
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- The EPA’s actions would effectively end motorsports.
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- Many aftermarket manufacturers would be out of business if the EPA had their way!
There’s an extreme amount of bipartisan support for the RPM Act already, and the sponsors of it want it voted on by the end of the summer. While it seems unlikely that the EPA will move forward at this point, but the fact that they even thought to bring the issue up is pretty startling.
The economic impact of allowing the EPA to stop production vehicles from being modified would be unmeasurable, not to mention that it would obliterate most forms of motorsports. SEMA is making it super easy to do to your part, you can write your representatives here, they have even provided a pre-written template and contact form. We’ll keep you posted, but we do encourage you to get involved.
Elizabeth is a hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
