From the SEMA Washington, D.C., office
The SEMA Garage team last week shared the following note with members who have reached out about sales data requests from the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Please contact Jim Moore at jimm@sema.org with any questions.
SEMA is aware that CARB has asked manufacturers to estimate the cost of compiling sales data for products covered by executive orders (EO). This request reinforces our concern that the proposed sales reporting requirement is burdensome, invasive and unrelated to environmental impact. CARB has not demonstrated how collecting ongoing sales data improves emissions compliance or advances clean-air goals. And, the current review underway of the regulatory process is intended to help improve efficiency in the CARB EO process, not to add more burden to the businesses who participate.
For many manufacturers, particularly small businesses operating through distributor networks, extracting and reporting detailed sales information would require significant new administrative systems and costs. These resources would be diverted away from product development and emissions testing, which directly support California's environmental objectives. It also creates additional disincentives for companies to actively participate in the compliance program, which also is counter to achieving positive environmental objectives.
This request and the underlying proposal further underscore why SEMA has sponsored legislation to reform CARB's EO procedures. The industry needs a predictable, efficient, and emissions-focused process, not additional administrative obligations that increase costs without delivering measurable environmental benefit.
As CARB considers amendments to its aftermarket procedures, SEMA encourages its members to actively participate in the regulatory process and provide feedback on the real-world impacts of these proposals.
