SEMA Responds to Proposed Vehicle Emissions Standards
SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola issued a statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent proposed vehicle emissions standards.
The new standards would require 13% annual average pollution cuts and a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements, according to Reuters. The EPA is also proposing new, stricter emissions standards for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks through 2032, the report said.
The changes could mean 2-out-of-every-3 new vehicles would be all-electric.
SEMA issued the following statement from Spagnola:
“On behalf of more than 7,000 SEMA members, we have significant concerns regarding the impact of these proposed regulations on automotive small businesses. The specialty aftermarket industry supports more than 1 million U.S. automotive manufacturing jobs, yet these people and businesses are often overlooked in the push to electrify our automotive sector.
“We fully support the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but actively advocate for the ability of consumers and the marketplace to choose what works best for them. There are many options on the road to zero emissions and we feel it is crucial for government policy to remain technology-neutral. The specialty automotive aftermarket industry has been built around the internal combustion engine. It is also the same industry that has led the way in fuel innovations and conversions of old vehicles into new and cleaner technologies. Yet, it is clear from the Biden administration’s actions and words that electrification is their technology of choice.
“This large-scale shift will significantly disrupt automotive industry supply chains and potentially eliminate large numbers of jobs in vehicle manufacturing, parts production and repair shops. We are here to support the work of small business innovators while protecting the small business owners and those they employ by letting the market and innovation drive solutions to the environmental challenges we all seek to solve.”
Read more about the proposed regulations here.
