EPA seeks comments on emissions requirements repeal through Jan. 5

Public comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to repeal emissions requirements for glider kits will be accepted through Jan. 5.

In a summary of the rule, the repeal is based on a proposed interpretation of the Clean Air Act under which glider vehicles would be found not to constitute “new motor vehicles,” glider engines would be found not to constitute “new motor vehicles,” and glider kits would not be treated as “incomplete” new motor vehicles.

Under this proposed interpretation, the EPA would lack the authority to regulate glider vehicles, glider engines and glider kits.

“EPA is proposing that the statutory interpretations on which the Phase 2 rule predicated its regulation of glider vehicles, glider engines, and glider kits were incorrect.”

As of Dec. 11, about 65 comments had been received.

“We are one of the many small companies who will be very negatively impacted by any further regulations restricting glider trucks,” Dinah M. Cruse wrote. “We currently are running 100 glider trucks, employing 140 people and would absolutely be out of business had we not purchased glider trucks.

“Please know that failing to repeal the Phase 2 (greenhouse gas) regulations will be devastating to our company and many others such as ours, as well as millions of independent owner-operators. Please do the right thing for our industry and our country by repealing these overly restricting and burdensome regulations allowing the glider kit industry to thrive, in turn allowing those who purchase them to be successful and productive.”

Others have submitted their environmental concerns.

“I am writing to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to not repeal the Obama-era emission requirements from glider vehicles, engines, and kits,” Kyle Gould wrote. “We as a nation must rid ourselves of fossil fuels as fast as we can so that we can mitigate the damage from future man-made global warming, and keeping the emission requirements for glider kits will be one of the first steps that we need to take.”

Those wishing to submit comments may do so at Regulations.gov by using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0827.