The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered by 20% the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particle pollution (PM2.5), from 15 micrograms to 12 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over a year. The EPA did not change the standard for coarse particle pollution (PM10), which remains at 150 micrograms averaged over a 24-hour period. 

The small soot particles come from a variety of man-made and natural sources, including diesel tailpipe emissions, smokestacks and fires. The agency’s new PM2.5 standard is approximately one-thirtieth the width of a human hair. The EPA is concerned that once in the bloodstream or lungs, the particles can cause aggravated asthma and other respiratory and heart ailments. The agency estimates that 66 of the nation’s 3,033 counties will be found in violation of the new standard when the EPA updates its nonattainment designations around 2015. States would then have five years to meet the revised standard. The EPA contends that many counties will not need to take any additional actions to comply with the rule as long as other air pollution rules the EPA is pursuing are implemented as scheduled. These actions include diesel emissions limits for off-road vehicles and installation of new pollution-abatement equipment at oil refineries, power plants and some large-scale manufacturing facilities. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered by 20% the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particle pollution (PM2.5), from 15 micrograms to 12 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over a year. The EPA did not change the standard for coarse particle pollution (PM10), which remains at 150 micrograms averaged over a 24-hour period. 

The small soot particles come from a variety of man-made and natural sources, including diesel tailpipe emissions, smokestacks and fires. The agency’s new PM2.5 standard is approximately one-thirtieth the width of a human hair. The EPA is concerned that once in the bloodstream or lungs, the particles can cause aggravated asthma and other respiratory and heart ailments. The agency estimates that 66 of the nation’s 3,033 counties will be found in violation of the new standard when the EPA updates its nonattainment designations around 2015. States would then have five years to meet the revised standard. The EPA contends that many counties will not need to take any additional actions to comply with the rule as long as other air pollution rules the EPA is pursuing are implemented as scheduled. These actions include diesel emissions limits for off-road vehicles and installation of new pollution-abatement equipment at oil refineries, power plants and some large-scale manufacturing facilities. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

SEMA has joined with a number of other trade associations to sponsor “Smarter Fuel Future,” a website intended to raise awareness about the economic and environmental threats posed by the United States’ current biofuels policy. The policy has led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to permit the sale of gasoline with 15% ethanol content (E15) in order to meet artificial demands to sell biofuels. The organizations are calling on lawmakers to change the “Renewable Fuel Standard” (RFS), which is driving the U.S. policy. Otherwise, the EPA may soon be seeking to permit the sale of E20 and E30 to fulfill ever-expanding RFS demands.

Congress established the RFS in 2005 and then set ambitious goals in 2007 to mandate biofuel sales. While SEMA supports the congressional intent to help reduce foreign oil imports, the mandates are excessive and not supported by the marketplace. The RFS helped drive the EPA’s decision to permit the sale of E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles but make it illegal to fuel older cars, motorcycles and other motorized equipment since the EPA acknowledged that those products could be damaged. However, the EPA is only requiring a gas pump warning label instructing unsuspecting consumers that it is “illegal” to fill-up those products with E15.

SEMA continues to oppose E15 since ethanol increases water formation, which can then corrode metals, plastics and rubber. Many older cars were not constructed with materials to counteract ethanol’s harmful effects. E15 can also burn hotter than E10 gasoline and cause damage to certain high-performance specialty parts. Revisiting the RFS provides an opportunity to rescind the EPA’s E15 decision.

For more information, please visit www.smarterfuelfuture.org or contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org. 

SEMA has joined with a number of other trade associations to sponsor “Smarter Fuel Future,” a website intended to raise awareness about the economic and environmental threats posed by the United States’ current biofuels policy. The policy has led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to permit the sale of gasoline with 15% ethanol content (E15) in order to meet artificial demands to sell biofuels. The organizations are calling on lawmakers to change the “Renewable Fuel Standard” (RFS), which is driving the U.S. policy. Otherwise, the EPA may soon be seeking to permit the sale of E20 and E30 to fulfill ever-expanding RFS demands.

Congress established the RFS in 2005 and then set ambitious goals in 2007 to mandate biofuel sales. While SEMA supports the congressional intent to help reduce foreign oil imports, the mandates are excessive and not supported by the marketplace. The RFS helped drive the EPA’s decision to permit the sale of E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles but make it illegal to fuel older cars, motorcycles and other motorized equipment since the EPA acknowledged that those products could be damaged. However, the EPA is only requiring a gas pump warning label instructing unsuspecting consumers that it is “illegal” to fill-up those products with E15.

SEMA continues to oppose E15 since ethanol increases water formation, which can then corrode metals, plastics and rubber. Many older cars were not constructed with materials to counteract ethanol’s harmful effects. E15 can also burn hotter than E10 gasoline and cause damage to certain high-performance specialty parts. Revisiting the RFS provides an opportunity to rescind the EPA’s E15 decision.

For more information, please visit www.smarterfuelfuture.org or contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org. 

The SEMA Action Network (SAN) is proud to welcome the Racers Against Street Racing (RASR) brand to its network. RASR is devoted to promoting safe and legal alternatives to illegal street racing. The message of this nationwide organization is simple: If you want to race, go to a racetrack. The goal of RASR is to provide resources to allow racing enthusiasts to participate in automotive-related events throughout the United States in a safe and controlled environment.

The reconfigured RASR website now includes newsworthy topics, a state-by-state race track locator, downloadable public service announcements, SEMA-model legislation and more.

“RASR’s mission aligns extremely well with the SAN’s general goal to protect the automotive hobby,” noted SAN Director Colby Martin. “By arming performance enthusiasts with the means to promote legal and responsible behavior on the street, RASR will help strengthen and expand the SAN’s impact on this exciting automotive niche.”

To learn more about RASR, visit www.RASR.org.

The SEMA Action Network (SAN) is proud to welcome the Racers Against Street Racing (RASR) brand to its network. RASR is devoted to promoting safe and legal alternatives to illegal street racing. The message of this nationwide organization is simple: If you want to race, go to a racetrack. The goal of RASR is to provide resources to allow racing enthusiasts to participate in automotive-related events throughout the United States in a safe and controlled environment.

The reconfigured RASR website now includes newsworthy topics, a state-by-state race track locator, downloadable public service announcements, SEMA-model legislation and more.

“RASR’s mission aligns extremely well with the SAN’s general goal to protect the automotive hobby,” noted SAN Director Colby Martin. “By arming performance enthusiasts with the means to promote legal and responsible behavior on the street, RASR will help strengthen and expand the SAN’s impact on this exciting automotive niche.”

To learn more about RASR, visit www.RASR.org.

The SEMA Action Network (SAN) is proud to welcome the Racers Against Street Racing (RASR) brand to its network. RASR is devoted to promoting safe and legal alternatives to illegal street racing. The message of this nationwide organization is simple: If you want to race, go to a racetrack. The goal of RASR is to provide resources to allow racing enthusiasts to participate in automotive-related events throughout the United States in a safe and controlled environment.

The reconfigured RASR website now includes newsworthy topics, a state-by-state race track locator, downloadable public service announcements, SEMA-model legislation and more.

“RASR’s mission aligns extremely well with the SAN’s general goal to protect the automotive hobby,” noted SAN Director Colby Martin. “By arming performance enthusiasts with the means to promote legal and responsible behavior on the street, RASR will help strengthen and expand the SAN’s impact on this exciting automotive niche.”

To learn more about RASR, visit www.RASR.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has restored the blue and green color boundaries within the federal lighting standard. The boundary language was inadvertently removed from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108 several years ago when the agency reorganized the standard. Although the NHTSA does not allow taillamps, headlamps and or side markers to be blue or green, it is possible to incorporate the color into a lens and still comply with the standard’s white, amber or red light restrictions. Therefore, the NHTSA is proposing to reinsert references to blue and green color boundaries within paragraphs of S14.4.2.2, which governs the haze testing process. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has restored the blue and green color boundaries within the federal lighting standard. The boundary language was inadvertently removed from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108 several years ago when the agency reorganized the standard. Although the NHTSA does not allow taillamps, headlamps and or side markers to be blue or green, it is possible to incorporate the color into a lens and still comply with the standard’s white, amber or red light restrictions. Therefore, the NHTSA is proposing to reinsert references to blue and green color boundaries within paragraphs of S14.4.2.2, which governs the haze testing process. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

	While the advantages of digital and social media brand promotion are considerable, such as costs savings, control over the customer relationship and real-time feedback, there are challenges to confront, such as having time or personnel to monitor the communications and being prepared to address setbacks quickly.

Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Dan Kahn of Kahn Media provided tips on how to gain product exposure and PR outreach in the digital age through the SEMA Webinar "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." The informative session covered current PR trends; suggestions of what a modern new product press release should look like; tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz; and identifying and using potential outlets.

Today's PR and consumer outreach efforts differ from past in several aspects, according to Kahn. Companies can now deliver direct B2B or B2C communication without filtering the message through mainstream media, a common practice for automotive aftermarket companies for many years. The ability to contact audiences and potential customers directly has been supported and nurtured through the Internet and social media channels: digital newsletters; content posted to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.; company blogs and news pages; and search-engine optimized website content.

However, with these changes to the traditional forms of brand promotion and communication, a new set of challenges and opportunities has been revealed. While companies have advantages through direct communication, such as cost effectiveness, more control over the customer relationship with the brand, and real-time feedback to see if a message is resonating with the audience, there are plenty of new hurdles facing companies.

One of the main challenges with direct communication is that there is no filter between the company and the recipient. For example, Kahn points out, "If doing a promotion in-house, all content must be proofed, examined and approved by the parties involved." This can be an issue for companies that have a limited staff or for companies that only conduct any type of outreach when there is a new product to announce.

Kahn also advised companies that transparency and openness can be a double-edged sword. Companies that provide exceptional products or services will be rewarded, however, mistakes will be revealed in the "comments" section on social channels. Kahn emphasized that companies need to be prepared to handle setbacks quickly and decisively. 

One of the final challenges pointed out by Kahn was the fact that monitoring your digital outreach and brand promotion is time intensive and requires constant attention. Not only do considerations need to be made about the type of message to send and through which channels, but dedicating time to monitoring the effectiveness of your message via open rates and click-through rates help you gradually build a broader avenue of communication. 

"A big mistake that I see companies make is adding a few extra hours of digital PR responsibilities to an in-house salesperson's existing workload," explained Kahn.

A modern press release is more than a few sentences about your product and company and a photo. Kahn says that his company refers to the services that they provide as "content marketing," in that they provide everything a content producer needs to make a story. Description photos, links to the brand's website and social channels, videos, and search-engine optimized copy that is hyperbole-free, are all essential for modern PR success.

Here is a breakdown provided by Kahn of some of the elements that should be incorporated into a digital press release:

• Layout in HTML to maximize distribution and minimize messages sent to SPAM folders (custom HTML layouts that match the branding of your website are best, but templates are also available; popular services include MailChimp, Emma, Constant Contact)


• A catchy headline—tell the consumer or journalist what the release is about in a short, clever way. 


• The subhead should flesh out the details about why they should read the release and care.


• Always have at least one thumbnail image of your subject at the top. Having images or video screen caps with a link "above the fold" so it appears in the Outlook or Entourage preview window increases open rates by up to 15%.


• Bullet points—many editors and bloggers are too busy and receive too much e-mail to read every release they get. Include a few bullets that summarize the features and benefits as succinctly as possible. 


To learn about the additional essential elements of social media press release, listen to the entire presentation: "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." For additional information about SEMA Webinars, contact Jamie Ericksen at jamiee@sema.org.