By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is considering several bills to reform the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The 40-year-old law has produced few tangible results beyond road and trail closures, restrictive land-use designations and lawsuits. Millions of acres of land have been set aside to protect threatened and endangered animals and plants, but more money has been spent on lawyers and court expenses than wildlife management. 

The Senate Committee held a hearing on SEMA-supported bills to address some of these deficiencies. They included legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Interior to consider the economic impact of critical habitat designations, publish scientific and commercial data that is the basis for ESA designations, and consider data provided by state, local and tribal governments. The Committee also considered a SEMA-supported bill to prohibit for six years the Interior Department from deciding whether to include the greater sage grouse on the ESA. The bird’s habitat spans 165 million acres across 11 western states and a listing could lead to many road/trail closures. 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is considering several bills to reform the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The 40-year-old law has produced few tangible results beyond road and trail closures, restrictive land-use designations and lawsuits. Millions of acres of land have been set aside to protect threatened and endangered animals and plants, but more money has been spent on lawyers and court expenses than wildlife management. 

The Senate Committee held a hearing on SEMA-supported bills to address some of these deficiencies. They included legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Interior to consider the economic impact of critical habitat designations, publish scientific and commercial data that is the basis for ESA designations, and consider data provided by state, local and tribal governments. The Committee also considered a SEMA-supported bill to prohibit for six years the Interior Department from deciding whether to include the greater sage grouse on the ESA. The bird’s habitat spans 165 million acres across 11 western states and a listing could lead to many road/trail closures. 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate has introduced SEMA-supported legislation directing the National Academy of Sciences to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for recreational off-highway vehicles.

SEMA-supported legislation (HR 999; S 1040) has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate directing the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars and can attain speeds greater than 30 mph.

The CPSC’s proposal includes restrictive lateral stability and vehicle-handling requirements that could potentially limit vehicle use. SEMA has joined with many other companies and organizations to support an alternative industry ROV standard that is very similar to the CPSC rule but which does not stifle future design innovations. The industry standard recognizes that there are a wide variety of uses and terrains for which ROVs are constructed, from utility to recreation.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate has introduced SEMA-supported legislation directing the National Academy of Sciences to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for recreational off-highway vehicles.

SEMA-supported legislation (HR 999; S 1040) has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate directing the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars and can attain speeds greater than 30 mph.

The CPSC’s proposal includes restrictive lateral stability and vehicle-handling requirements that could potentially limit vehicle use. SEMA has joined with many other companies and organizations to support an alternative industry ROV standard that is very similar to the CPSC rule but which does not stifle future design innovations. The industry standard recognizes that there are a wide variety of uses and terrains for which ROVs are constructed, from utility to recreation.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate has introduced SEMA-supported legislation directing the National Academy of Sciences to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for recreational off-highway vehicles.

SEMA-supported legislation (HR 999; S 1040) has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate directing the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars and can attain speeds greater than 30 mph.

The CPSC’s proposal includes restrictive lateral stability and vehicle-handling requirements that could potentially limit vehicle use. SEMA has joined with many other companies and organizations to support an alternative industry ROV standard that is very similar to the CPSC rule but which does not stifle future design innovations. The industry standard recognizes that there are a wide variety of uses and terrains for which ROVs are constructed, from utility to recreation.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate has introduced SEMA-supported legislation directing the National Academy of Sciences to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for recreational off-highway vehicles.

SEMA-supported legislation (HR 999; S 1040) has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate directing the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study requirements proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars and can attain speeds greater than 30 mph.

The CPSC’s proposal includes restrictive lateral stability and vehicle-handling requirements that could potentially limit vehicle use. SEMA has joined with many other companies and organizations to support an alternative industry ROV standard that is very similar to the CPSC rule but which does not stifle future design innovations. The industry standard recognizes that there are a wide variety of uses and terrains for which ROVs are constructed, from utility to recreation.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned.

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned. The bill would have required that safety-inspection stations perform a test to ensure that a vehicle conforms to the law. Fines for noncompliance would have ranged from $100 to $500 for each offense. The bill is eligible for consideration in 2016.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned.

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned. The bill would have required that safety-inspection stations perform a test to ensure that a vehicle conforms to the law. Fines for noncompliance would have ranged from $100 to $500 for each offense. The bill is eligible for consideration in 2016.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned.

Legislation to prohibit the use, sale or installation of an exhaust system “that has been changed or modified from the factory design so as to increase the volume or audibility of the explosions within the vehicle’s motor” died for the year when the legislature adjourned. The bill would have required that safety-inspection stations perform a test to ensure that a vehicle conforms to the law. Fines for noncompliance would have ranged from $100 to $500 for each offense. The bill is eligible for consideration in 2016.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Becca Butler

With more than 3,000 media attending the SEMA Show, exhibitors are encouraged to post their Show-related news and announcements to the Online Media Center to attract the attention of editors and reporters.

Press releases can be an easy and effective way to generate buzz surrounding your SEMA Show news prior to the event taking place in November. With more than 3,000 media in attendance, exhibitors are encouraged to post their Show-related news and announcements to the Online Media Center to attract the attention of editors and reporters. Free to exhibitors, this serves as a destination for media to receive exhibitor-related news and information regarding the latest products, hottest vehicles and activities going on at the Show.

Having a solid, easy-to-read press release with relevant content is key to creating a lasting impression, driving traffic to your booth and generating media coverage. Whether you’re announcing new products, a booth demonstration, vehicle unveil, celebrity appearance or more, here are a few tips for drafting and submitting a press release for SEMA Show coverage:

• Have a strong headline: Make it concise and compelling to grab the attention of your reader.

• Stick to the facts: Avoid embellishing or opinions. Reporters are looking for news and will not report on the “best” or “greatest” products. They will, however, report on products that result in specific outcomes.

• Keep it short: Keep the entire release short and sweet. Readers want to know from the beginning what it’s about.

• Include a photo: Editors like to run photos with their news stories. Many editors will only use releases that have photos. JPEGs are preferred, and print publications will insist on a high-res 300dpi image.

• Write like an editor: Most publications follow the Associated Press (AP) format. Become familiar with this style of writing to help you craft your message in a way that makes it easy to read and easy to use.

• Include your contact info: Whether you’re inviting your reader to an event or introducing your new product, make sure you include your SEMA Show booth number and contact information should they have any questions or want to drop by your booth.