By the SEMA D.C. office
SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola provided official comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in opposition to the agency's proposed new federal emissions standards for motor vehicles model-years '27-'32. The EPA's proposed rulemaking seeks to dramatically increase sales of electric vehicles (EVs). If finalized, the EPA estimates the rule would lead to EVs making up two-thirds of new passenger vehicles sold in the United States by 2032 and essentially blocking out other technologies that can help achieve these goals. Click here to read Spagnola's comment to the EPA.
SEMA also coordinated a grassroots and media campaign that led to SEMA members and automotive enthusiasts sending the EPA more than 7,700 letters outlining the adverse impacts of the proposed rule. Highlights of the campaign include:
- Spagnola and SEMA members Kim Pendergast, CEO of Magnuson Superchargers; Rob Simons, principal with Automotive Consulting Services; Billy Brooks, director of Engineering for Cobb Tuning; Dan Millen, owner of Livernois Motorsports; Mike Copeland, CEO of Arrington Performance; Laurel Moorhead, regulatory compliance engineer with Transfer Flow; and Keith Cavallini, owner of Green Diesel Engineering testified before the EPA in May about the proposed rule, speaking about how it would impact their businesses and the importance of the EPA maintaining a technology-neutral approach to motor-vehicle technology.
- Ian Lehn, the founder and CEO of BOOSTane, spoke to ABC News 5 in Cleveland, Ohio, about how the EPA's proposed rule could unfairly tilt the market toward EVs over the next decade. He also wrote an op-ed that was published on Cleveland.com. Read it here.
- West Virginia state lawmaker and SEMA-member Gary Howell (R-WV) penned a powerful op-ed piece for the Cumberland, Maryland Times-News. Read it here.
- Spagnola wrote an op-ed to the Washington Examiner and was interviewed on the "Smoking Tire Podcast."
- The Atlanta-Journal Constitution published an op-ed from Chelsea Allen, owner of Crush Customs and Nick Caloroso, national sales manager for Driven Lighting Group.
"Thousands of small businesses and their employees will be adversely impacted by this proposal's overly aggressive push to electrify America's automotive sector," said Spagnola. "There are many options on the road to zero emissions. American-grown biofuels, carbon capture and innovations in engine production are all aimed at this shared goal. The specialty automotive aftermarket has also led the way in fuel innovations and conversions of old vehicles into new and cleaner technologies and is committed to playing a central role in the evolution of automotive technology, including the parts and products that power our vehicles. However, this proposal embraces electrification as the technology of choice to the detriment of many of our members and their innovations."
The EPA is expected to issue its final rule later this year or early next. Through our grassroots and education efforts, SEMA's work on this issue will continue over the coming months. While the EPA can issue its final rule, Congress still oversees the agency and its actions, so we expect this fight to make its way to Capitol Hill and continue well into 2024.
For more information on these efforts, visit sema.org/advocacy/ice-bans.