SEMA-opposed legislation to provide that the noise from a motor-vehicle exhaust system that has been deemed “disturbing or unreasonably loud” constitutes the crime of disturbing the peace is dead for the year. Under the bill, violators could have been fined up to $1,000 per occurrence, jailed for six months or both.

Among other things, the bill did not supply law enforcement with an enforcement standard, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system is “disturbing or unreasonably loud”; failed to recognize that a better way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit; ignored the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions; and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better-performing options.

For details, contact Steve McDonald.

SEMA-opposed legislation to provide that the noise from a motor-vehicle exhaust system that has been deemed “disturbing or unreasonably loud” constitutes the crime of disturbing the peace is dead for the year. Under the bill, violators could have been fined up to $1,000 per occurrence, jailed for six months or both.

Among other things, the bill did not supply law enforcement with an enforcement standard, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system is “disturbing or unreasonably loud”; failed to recognize that a better way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit; ignored the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions; and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better-performing options.

For details, contact Steve McDonald.

SEMA-opposed legislation to provide that the noise from a motor-vehicle exhaust system that has been deemed “disturbing or unreasonably loud” constitutes the crime of disturbing the peace is dead for the year. Under the bill, violators could have been fined up to $1,000 per occurrence, jailed for six months or both.

Among other things, the bill did not supply law enforcement with an enforcement standard, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system is “disturbing or unreasonably loud”; failed to recognize that a better way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit; ignored the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions; and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better-performing options.

For details, contact Steve McDonald.

SEMA-opposed legislation to provide that the noise from a motor-vehicle exhaust system that has been deemed “disturbing or unreasonably loud” constitutes the crime of disturbing the peace is dead for the year. Under the bill, violators could have been fined up to $1,000 per occurrence, jailed for six months or both.

Among other things, the bill did not supply law enforcement with an enforcement standard, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system is “disturbing or unreasonably loud”; failed to recognize that a better way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit; ignored the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions; and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better-performing options.

For details, contact Steve McDonald.

SEMA-opposed legislation to provide that the noise from a motor-vehicle exhaust system that has been deemed “disturbing or unreasonably loud” constitutes the crime of disturbing the peace is dead for the year. Under the bill, violators could have been fined up to $1,000 per occurrence, jailed for six months or both.

Among other things, the bill did not supply law enforcement with an enforcement standard, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether an exhaust system is “disturbing or unreasonably loud”; failed to recognize that a better way to address this issue is by establishing a fair and reasonable exhaust noise decibel limit; ignored the fact that aftermarket exhaust systems are designed to make vehicles run more efficiently without increasing emissions; and would make it difficult for hobbyists to replace factory exhaust systems with more durable, better-performing options.

For details, contact Steve McDonald.

The House Resources Committee held a hearing on the Colorado Wilderness Act, a bill to designate 850,000 acres in 34 separate areas as wilderness. No motorized activity is permitted in such designated lands. The areas include lands around Redcloud Peak, Dolores River Canyons, the Palisade, Bull Gulch and Browns Canyon.

Most of the land is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Representatives for both federal agencies testified that the legislation is too sweeping and should exclude certain areas where motorized recreation, mining, timber harvest and other activities currently exist.

SEMA supports land-use decisions that are reasonable and enjoy local community support. SEMA opposes legislation, such as the current bill, however, which threatens to prohibit recreation without sufficient public consensus. To learn more about off-road issues, visit SEMA’s “Land Use Policies and Off-Road Recreation” guide. For questions, contact Ethan Landesman at ethanl@sema.org.

The House Resources Committee held a hearing on the Colorado Wilderness Act, a bill to designate 850,000 acres in 34 separate areas as wilderness. No motorized activity is permitted in such designated lands. The areas include lands around Redcloud Peak, Dolores River Canyons, the Palisade, Bull Gulch and Browns Canyon.

Most of the land is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Representatives for both federal agencies testified that the legislation is too sweeping and should exclude certain areas where motorized recreation, mining, timber harvest and other activities currently exist.

SEMA supports land-use decisions that are reasonable and enjoy local community support. SEMA opposes legislation, such as the current bill, however, which threatens to prohibit recreation without sufficient public consensus. To learn more about off-road issues, visit SEMA’s “Land Use Policies and Off-Road Recreation” guide. For questions, contact Ethan Landesman at ethanl@sema.org.

The House Resources Committee held a hearing on the Colorado Wilderness Act, a bill to designate 850,000 acres in 34 separate areas as wilderness. No motorized activity is permitted in such designated lands. The areas include lands around Redcloud Peak, Dolores River Canyons, the Palisade, Bull Gulch and Browns Canyon.

Most of the land is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Representatives for both federal agencies testified that the legislation is too sweeping and should exclude certain areas where motorized recreation, mining, timber harvest and other activities currently exist.

SEMA supports land-use decisions that are reasonable and enjoy local community support. SEMA opposes legislation, such as the current bill, however, which threatens to prohibit recreation without sufficient public consensus. To learn more about off-road issues, visit SEMA’s “Land Use Policies and Off-Road Recreation” guide. For questions, contact Ethan Landesman at ethanl@sema.org.

The House Resources Committee held a hearing on the Colorado Wilderness Act, a bill to designate 850,000 acres in 34 separate areas as wilderness. No motorized activity is permitted in such designated lands. The areas include lands around Redcloud Peak, Dolores River Canyons, the Palisade, Bull Gulch and Browns Canyon.

Most of the land is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Representatives for both federal agencies testified that the legislation is too sweeping and should exclude certain areas where motorized recreation, mining, timber harvest and other activities currently exist.

SEMA supports land-use decisions that are reasonable and enjoy local community support. SEMA opposes legislation, such as the current bill, however, which threatens to prohibit recreation without sufficient public consensus. To learn more about off-road issues, visit SEMA’s “Land Use Policies and Off-Road Recreation” guide. For questions, contact Ethan Landesman at ethanl@sema.org.

A photo collection of more than 60 Toyotas on display at the 2009 SEMA Show.