They are begging for a HUGE fight on this. We need to take the EPA down permanently for this attack on us.

Here's a very clear summary of the issue at hand regarding the EPA vs. SEMA. Technically all of us who modify a car that originally had a VIN are breaking the law and subject to fines. Technically an EPA compliance officer could show up at VIR and start fining all of us. Lets hope SEMA can inject come common sense into the Government; I don't have my hopes up.

"Here's a blurb from a good friend of mine who's worked in the auto/performance industry for most of his life: Let me share with you what was discussed at the SEMA round table seminar during the show in November 2015 in Las Vegas. The meeting was supposed to about 1 hr long. It went well over 3 hrs with the Q&A session. We had well over 300 industry representatives from just about every performance aftermarket company you can think of in attendance.

On the stage we had;

Peter Treydte - SEMA Compliance Center Manager Jim Mc Farland - SEMA Technical Consultant Evan Belser - US EPA Mobil Source Enforcement Branch, Civil Branch Chief Tony Martino - CARB, Aftermarket Part Section Manager Mike Spagnola - SEMA VP, OE Relationship and Product Development Russ Deane - SEMA General Counsel

I have a 32 page PP presentation in pdf format that I can send you, but let my try to simplify what was said.

The following terms are misconceptions in our industry;

"49 state legal"
"not legal for use in California"
"for off road use only"

The EPA has defaulted to CARB to determine if the part that can effect the vehicle's emissions compliant is legal or not. If it is legal for use in California then it is 50 states legal. If is is not legal for use in California, then it is not legal for use in any of the 50 states.

CARB and the EPA have the right to enforce emission compliance for off road use vehicles.

What Evan basically told us in a nut shell was that we have a very nice show with lots of enthusiasm, but well over 90% of the products that effect the emission compliance of the vehicle that were showcased at the show are in fact illegal and that the producers, sellers and installers of these products can face both civil and criminal charges and penalties. Only those items that effect the emission compliance of the vehicle and are either exact replacement parts or those that have been issued a CARB EO number are legal.

What it boils down to by the letter of the law is that if a vehicle had a VIN number assigned to it's chassis by the OE manufacture, then no matter where it is driven or how it is used, the vehicle's emissions compliance must be maintained and those devices installed by the OE manufacture to meet those requirements can not be removed or tampered with - period. Please remember that emission control devises date back to the mid '60's with the first PVC systems and air pumps.

Now think about that for a few minutes. Many of us have cars that we own and use at the track. These car are no longer driven on the street, they do not have license plate(s) nor are they insured for use on the street. They are trailered to and from the track and are only driven at the track. Yet by the letter of the law they still must be in 100% emissions complaint and all the aftermarket parts that effect this emissions complacence must either be exact replacement items or come from the parts manufacture with a CARB EO number.

The only vehicles that are currently exempt from the emissions requirements are either vehicles built prior to the installation of emissions control devices (basically 1964 and older) or are purpose built tube chassis professional race cars. The parts that are installed on these and only these vehicles do not have to have a CARB EO number. But if those parts do not have the CARB EO number, then those same parts that can effect the emission compliance of a vehicle can't be installed on a vehicle that originally came with a VIN number and had emission control devises install by the OE manufacture.

Here is an example. You have a 1961 Ford Fairlane with a 390 FE motor and want to replace OE points distributor with an electronic breakerless unit, you can buy one with or without a CARB EO number and there are no issues. But if you have a 1969 Mustang with a 390 FE engine and want to do the same upgrade, you have to use a breakerless distributor with a CARB issued EO number to be legal.

Let's look at something a bit closer to home, say Spec Miata for example. Per the letter of the law, every car is illegal, ever car owner is in violation of the law and worst yet, Mazda though its MazdaSpeed group's product offering is also in violation of the law. Each and every individual part that effects the emission compliance of the vehicle that does not have a CARB EO number is illegal and is subject to a fine up to $37,500 per violation. Several parts on each car, 30-40 cars at each event... Let that sink for a moment - now you are getting the idea.

Yes this specific piece of legislation is meant to clarify and reinforce the existing law. What SEMA would like to see here is some common sense being applied to this - basically a revision to the existing law that would be the exact opposite of what is noted in this proposed legislation. What we would like to see is an exemption that would allow for a vehicle that has been converted for off road use, that no longer has license plate(s) that is no longer driven on nor insured for use on the street, to be exempt from the emission compliance that it was held to when it was originally manufactured.

Yes SEMA wants all its members to be manufacturing legal parts. It now has a certified emissions lab to help its member get though the CARB testing and approval process so that an EO number can be issued for those parts. At best if everything goes perfectly, it takes about 5-6 months and about $12-15K dollar to get an CARB EO number issued for a performance replace part or family of parts. There are also some parts that will simple never be able to be made emissions complaint and some parts that currently have CARB EO numbers that should never have been granted one in the first place and if they were resubmitted for approval now, would in the light of today's scrutiny, not be approved.

Yes it is unlikely that CARB and the EPA will show up at sportsman type racing event and start inspecting cars and fining the owners. But they may start to track down every VIN number to have proof that those vehicles either are still in emissions compliant and legal for use on the street or they are in a salvage yard somewhere or have been "recycled".

So in conclusion, yes it is time to go "all Buffalo Bill" about this issue of it being legal or not to convert a street legal vehicle into a track use only vehicle. This is directed squarely at us,both the professionals that make and sell the parts and the enthusiasts / hobbyist that use those parts on our vehicles no matter where they are driven."