Apr 13th 2016 at 2:57PM Republican lawmakers are warning that regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency could cast a pall over auto racing. Three members of the House Energy and Commerce committee sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy on Tuesday, expressing concern that regulations proposed would prohibit car enthusiasts from making modifications that convert street cars into race cars. Since passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, the EPA has not enforced anti-tampering provisions in the law for drivers and mechanics making changes for racing purposes. New language introduced by the administration would end that unofficial exemption. "Now, they legality of this industry has been called into question by the EPA." – Letter to administrator Gina McCarthy "There are the thousands of racing enthusiasts who own these vehicles and who have had every reason to believe that what they were doing was legal," wrote Rep. Fred Upton (R-Michigan), Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Kentucky) and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina).

"Overnight, these vehicle owners may be considered lawbreakers by the EPA and subject to penalties similar to those Volkswagen now faces." Specifically, a proposed rule that affects greenhouse gas emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles reads, "certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines and their emissions control devices must remain in their certified configuration even if they are used solely for competition or if they become non-road vehicles or engines."nikken power 5 air purifier Government officials actually proposed the rule last July, but the language was sandwiched in the middle of another pending rule, and it sat unnoticed until after the period during which the public can comment on pending rules closed. honeywell genesis 5 air purifierBased on concerns, the EPA recently re-opened the comment period for an additional 30 days, but the agency is expected to finalize the ruling this July.air purifier kitty litter

State authorities in West Virginia, Ohio, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan and Georgia had previously written to McCarthy, pictured above, asking her to withdraw the rule. An EPA spokesperson says the agency will review and respond to the most recent letter. Consumers spent $36 billion on automotive specialty parts and accessories in 2014, the congressmen wrote, and the economic fallout from new rules under the Clean Air Act has yet to be measured. "With the EPA's tacit approval for over a half-century, an entire industry has grown around the modification of EPA-certified cars, motorcycles and other vehicles for racing purposes – from parts manufacturers and retailers to garages and race tracks," they wrote. "Now, they legality of this industry has been called into question by the EPA." Officials with the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association are urging voters to support a countermeasure, the "Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016" that would carve exemptions in the Clean Air Act for auto racing.

In the meantime, the Congressmen have asked EPA officials to respond to seven questions that address their concerns, asking the agency officials to clarify their intent with the law and, chiefly, asking what sort of penalties they intend to hand down for modifying racing vehicles and how they intend to monitor and investigate these activities. "We remain doubtful that this proposed policy change complies with Congressional intent, which we believe is to exempt racing vehicles from the Clean Air Act's provisions," they wrote. This isn't the first time a government agency has weighed the right of car enthusiasts to modify their vehicles. Last year, automakers lobbied the US Copyright Office for rules that would have prevented gearheads from modifying software in vehicles, arguing it was copyright protected. Though there's some nuance to the outcome, the office largely left the rights of enthusiasts to fix their cars intact. Recharge Wrap-up: Electric GT Tesla racer, Poland wants 1M EVs by 2025

Norway Tesla owners unhappy with power-disclosure settlement Everything we know about Faraday Future's electric crossover<< Back to Results | Exchange Stores > SP Express with Burger King Express Bldg 1135 South Post Class Six/ Gas Station/ Food Bldg 2304 North Post Shoe Repair(inside the Cleaners) Barber D.M.E. Supply Group (Durable Medical Equipment)12th Street Enterprise Car & Truck Rental Hospital Retail Store/ Subway/ Starbucks/ Barber Shop 1664 Wilcox DrBowling Green, VA 22427 Watch, Jewelry & Clock Repair Lynch Collection Men's Store Makeup Art Cosmetic (MAC) Store PODS - Portable Storage Service Letter from the Manager For several months I have enjoyed recording digital music files through my keyboard, thanks to a simple device that connects it to my laptop. But it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that the following label came with it: WARNING: This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Wash hands after handling.How could a set of cables attached to a small blue blinking cylinder cause cancer? The USB connector and keyboard inputs seemed harmless enough, and I hadn’t felt obvious symptoms while making music. Was I risking my life for the sake of my four-person fan base? So I called the company, M-Audio. Apparently, manufacturers have to put this label on certain products to comply with Proposition 65, a California law that requires a warning on anything containing lead or other hazardous substances found to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Under this law, whose full title is The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, warnings must be placed on products with a chemicals present in amounts larger than what the California government has decided is a “safe harbor number.” These requirements are pretty strict. For example, for a cancer-causing chemical, according to the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, “a person exposed to the chemical at the ‘no significant risk level’ for 70 years would not have more than a ‘one in 100,000’ chance of developing cancer as a result of that exposure.”

So, if there would be more than one excess case of cancer out of 100,000 people over a period of 70 years because of exposure to that amount of the substance, slap on that label. It’s not just computing equipment. outlines for its customers required warnings for California consumers placed on tools, lead crystal glasses, ceramic tableware, jewelry, Tiffany style lamps, electrical cords, beauty products, and even motor vehicles. The consequences for violating Proposition 65 can be pretty fierce. One Los Angeles company had to pay a $10 million fine for failing to label lead-tainted lunch boxes (they sold 100,000 of them to the state health department), the Los Angeles Times reported earlier this year. Still, does that mean I have to wash my hands every time I touch the cord? Mark Williams, spokesperson for M-Audio, says, “No! In general, he says, electronics products carry this label because of the materials used in circuit boards, such as lead, for example. It’s not like there’s pesticide sprayed on the surface, he says.

In fact, according to the company’s official statement on the issue, a device with a lead warning might not have any lead at all: Even in situations where an electronics device is completely free of lead, there is always a chance that standard third-party-manufactured accessories packaged with the device (such as a power cable, USB cable, or power supply) may contain trace amounts of lead. Out of professional diligence and a commitment to fully comply with the law, M-Audio properly marks all applicable products with a Prop 65 lead warning. Maybe people are used to seeing these labels by now. Williams said mine was the first call he’s received on the issue in his five months in media relations at the company. So, now I will make my techno versions of acoustic indie songs in relative peace. Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog.