Yay! Go enviro-freaks!

[Sircnay]

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT (IMMEDIATE ACTION) The Final Stand: California Emissions Exemption Repeal Bill Moves to Governor for Signature or Veto

On Friday (Aug. 27), the California Legislature approved A.B. 2683 with damaging amendments. A.B. 2683 is the legislation that would repeal the state's current rolling emissions-test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older. The bill repeals the current pro-hobbyist exemption and replaces it with a law requiring the PERMANENT testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. The amendments do not protect car collectors and are being opposed by SEMA and the major car clubs and organizations in California. The bill is now in the hands of the Governor who can choose to veto it or sign it into law.

We Urge You to Contact Governor Schwarzenegger IMMEDIATELY to Request His Veto of A.B. 2683!

The Governor may be reached at: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-445-4633

To send an Electronic Mail please visit: http://www.govmail.ca.gov

The bill requires the following:

1. Require vehicles of the post 1975 model year insured as collector cars (driven only to parades, exhibitions, etc.) and at least 35-years old to continue in the Smog Check program for the duration of the vehicle's life.

2. Revise the Smog Check testing regimen for these qualifying vehicles to include a tailpipe test, functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks. The vehicle would be forced to comply with the exhaust emissions standards for the vehicle's class and model year as prescribed by California regulators.

Despite assurances from the bill's sponsors that a good faith effort would be made to address hobbyist concerns, this bill continues to betray the trust of the collector car community. There is nothing that differentiates a 1975 from a 1976 vehicle requiring one be accorded a lifetime exemption while the other is not. Further, with regulators having proposed yearly testing of these older vehicles, this bill could be far costlier and even more burdensome to vehicle collectors in the future. In addition, regulators could set emissions standards to any level that suits their purposes in order to ensure inspection failures of these 1976 and later model cars. Finally, nothing in this bill would stop regulators from bringing 1975 and older vehicles back into the Smog Check program at a later date.

The truth remains the same:

California's current law recognizes the minimal impact of vehicles 30-years old and older on vehicle emissions and air quality.

Vehicles 30-years old and older still constitute a minuscule portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.

Antique and classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven (a fraction of the miles each year as a new vehicle).

Legislators, regulators and stationary source polluters are feeling the heat from a failed effort to meet air quality goals and are looking for a convenient scapegoat, using false data and inflated annual mileage assumptions to further their case. The old car hobby should not carry the burden of their mistakes!

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God I hate california.

[Sircnay]

And might I add to the title of this thread: "to hell."

[Ubernoober]

This is pretty important. It not only affects older vehicles but should be a front line fight for those of you that would like to see aftermarket parts remain available for your cars.Years of being steamrolled like this has created the California smog system as we now know it. Don't let this opportunity to be heard pass. Speak up!

If you don't live in California, don't automatically assume this is no big deal and does not apply to you. ALL states are moving to a system like California. Some sooner than others. The federal government is constantly observing California as a testbed also. If you think it cannot or will not happen to you, you are wrong. Fight now while you still have a voice.

[krazy skwerel]

Man funk all that I'll move to florida where they did away with emmissions.
Modified by krazy skwerel at 11:46 PM 8/31/2004

[Mr1der]

whoops, looks like we don't have our censors back yet:D

[Jesda]

Patrick Bedard wrote an excellent piece in Car and Driver about how sitting in California traffic is worse for smog than building new roads and getting cars to their destinations (so they spend less time idling on the pavement).

Remember when Governor Davis proudly proclaimed "This is the last new highway!"

[Altiman94]

the censors were too tight anyways. I've been on a few car sites that didn't even have any censorship. There wasn't that much swearing. Maybe a little more than here, but it wasn't unneeded swearing by any means.

[ilovedrifting]

goddamn environmental girly men

[jdmfreak]

Damn! Glad I dont live in that b****.

[Sircnay]

California is like a gigantic prostitute where anybody with a large enough wallet can buy her for a night of hot sex so that they can release the tension of being an idiot.

[PalmerWMD]

Ithink we need a requirement for yearly testing of drivers over 65.

Fred..

[Mr1der]

hell, I think we need it for everyone, not just elderly...

Just get your tags and license renewed every year...that'd be costly though...

[Jesda]

Hahaha, I'm still trying to get past the novelty of "Governor Arnold Shwarzenegger." Its like I'm reading a movie review.

[gabossie]

I'm still trying to get over the novelty of it too, and I live here. I swore that I would leave CA if he got elected, but here I am, still in the best and worst state in the nation. After a trip home this weekend, I remembered that Santa Cruz and Monterey counties are infact, the best and most beautiful places in the world.

People that live here probably know of the state line, right around SLO and across to Fresno. There are two different states in CA, and I can assure you that Shwarzenegger wasn't elected by Norcal.

[Sircnay]

Fresno's in the middle it sucks. Especially where I'm at. I'm in Clovis that's basically the line right there. If I go 1 mile north I'm in upper-white-middle-class neighborhoods. If I go 1 mile south, we're starting to hit ghetto minority-ville. I live in the middle-middle-class neighborhoods. IT BLOWS.

[gabossie]

I couldn't imagine living out there. I plan to always have my permanant residence no more than an hour from a beach, preferably the bay area. As soon as I graduate, I want to go back to SC if I can afford it. Socal sucks.

[Jesda]

Hes got a 65% approval. Not bad for a n00b

[[Zero-S]]

He's the governator...Approve or die.

[The Mic]

darn california

[ilovedrifting]

I love california, i know its full of liberals but i would move there in a second.you cali people have got it made

[gabossie]

Don't move here in spite of the liberals, move here because of us... we're nice people

[ilovedrifting]

yes very true, californians are friendlyi love californiathe weather, the food, the people, the cars, the beach, the terrain, the cities, its so great out theregeorgia SUCKS, i hate it so damn much

[krazy skwerel]

I actually like GA a lot. Always have a good time when I go down there.

[w1ngzer0]

if you want to make it in california you have to have something. If you don't have squat prepared to work 2 jobs and do nothing but work.

Only problem with california is modifying your car. I can see why though. The smog is getting worse now. Last i remember even sacramento had a smogy orange glow to it... I was use to clean mountian air and visited cali and was weird

[gabossie]

Yeah, when I go home to Santa Cruz, it makes me realize just how bad the smog is in LA. There are no days where you have a bright beautiful blue sky. There's days when there's no clouds, but the sky is kind of a bluish grey... disgusting.

[jdmfreak]

ACK! NY fo life.