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Join SAN on SEMA.org NOW! June 26, 2001 Texas Says Yes to Voluntary Emission System Repair and Upgrade, Provides Way
to Avoid Vehicle Scrappage
Washington, D.C. - In a victory for SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market
Association), Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law a bill that allows
counties to incorporate voluntary emissions-system repair and upgrades into
their inspection and maintenance programs as one of several options
available to qualified motorists.
“SEMA is optimistic that the upgrade option it convinced legislators to
adopt and fund will steer motorists away from the state’s vehicle scrappage
program,” said SEMA Director of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “Data
has shown that voluntarily upgrading older vehicles with newer technologies
can be roughly twice as cost effective as scrapping vehicles.”
Under the new law, the state will help certain car owners who wish to
voluntarily repair and upgrade their vehicles to comply with state emission
requirements. Vehicles qualifying for the program must have failed an
emissions test and be functionally operational and registered in a county
implementing the program for at least two years. Vehicles registered as
classic and those not regularly used for transportation are not eligible for
the new program. The emissions upgrade program will receive primary funding
from fees collected through mandated emissions inspections.
The law also mandates the appointment of an advisory committee composed of
parties affected by the program, including hobbyists and industry, to advise
and make recommendations on the development and implementation of the
program. The group will help identify and protect vehicles with intrinsic
value as an existing or future collectible.
Earlier this year, SEMA disseminated information to Texas legislators that
provided a factual account of the benefits of voluntary repair and upgrade.
SEMA advised adapting newer technologies to older vehicles on a voluntary
basis as a means to achieve surplus air quality benefits. “Numerous
commercially available products and technologies exist which can
substantially lower the emission rates of older vehicles while also offering
the owner considerable benefits in terms of performance, driveability and
fuel mileage,” McDonald explained. “The gains associated with both repair
and upgrade have demonstrated durability over time and the emissions
reductions can be expected to last at least as long as the remaining life
assigned to vehicles in most scrappage programs. An approach that allows
for a repair-upgrade option also provides maximum benefits to those entities
that require flexibility in meeting their emission reduction requirements
without hurting those who must rely on low cost transportation.”
SEMA is a national trade association composed of more than 4,600 member
companies that make up the specialty automotive equipment industry. The
seven diverse niches in which SEMA members specialize include light truck,
off-road, racing and performance, street rod and restoration, and restyling.
All combined, the markets add up to $24.68 billion in retail business
annually.
Later
"Sounds like a Y-P to me."
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