SEMA has reached agreement with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on an alternative to legislation that originally sought to prohibit the sale and distribution of aftermarket motor vehicle parts if alternatives are available that “decrease greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.” Under the negotiated agreement, the new bill would only give the Department authority to adopt the present California certification process and exemptions for aftermarket emissions-related parts, allowing parts manufacturers to meet one uniform standard, rather than a patchwork of multiple state standards. The amended legislation will also incorporate a California law that requires state regulators to develop a tire fuel efficiency program for passenger car and light truck replacement tires. As in California, Oregon will include a SEMA-drafted provision to exempt limited production hobbyist tires (15,000 or less annually), deep tread snow tires, limited-use spares, motorcycle tires and tires manufactured for use on off-road vehicles.
The Department of Environmental Quality will present the amendments at a hearing of the Oregon House Environment and Water Committee on Thurs., April 16, 2009.
Thank you all for contributing to the success of this negotiation.