Federal Funding of State Scrappage Programs are Back!!

["ERIC C MARSH" <ECMarsh@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm sorry that you disapprove of "tree huggers" Bill. I happen to be one and
have a tree farm.   For your information, these bills are not driven by tree
huggers. They are introduced and supported by politicians.  There is a
movement among Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC politicians going
through the process as we speak.  The cornerstone of this bill is to charge
every registered vehicle an additional $20 and then use the money to buy
clunkers for $700 and then crush them. This is supposed to clean up the
ozone problem in Charlotte.  To ensure the effectiveness, they are asking
the surrounding 10 counties to come on board.  I'm meeting with the mayor of
Salisbury next week, who has already publically supported this idea, to help
her understand that clunker nills only generate revenues for governments and
do not clean air.   Finally, the clunker bills are driven by the political
process and the end result is credits for companies like Exxon.    A true
environmentalist drives an old car like my '64 Barracuda because it takes
less to maintain this vehicle than the enrgy required to make a new
automobile.   Excuse me now, I have to go hug one of my oaks.    Eric
rsh   - NC tree farmer
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Laurent <president@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 12:44 AM
Subject: IML: Federal Funding of State Scrappage Programs are Back!!


>
> I'm forwarding this off of Collisionweek.com   This just makes me want
> to shoot every tree hugger out there.  I'm sick of fighting these
> stupid games with these people.  Read below.......
> Bill,
> Tidewater Mopar Club President
>
> ....Oh yeah,  Hope you can make it to our summer show. Details at
> www.moparmadness.info
>
> >From Collisionweek.com:
>
> Aftermarket Industry Opposes Vehicle Scrappage Legislation
>
> Representatives of the automotive aftermarket industry vowed to fight
> federal funding of old vehicle scrappage ("car crusher") programs
> included in the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Safe and Flexible
> Transportation Efficiency Act of 2003" (SAFETEA) which was released
> Wednesday.
>
> Title I, Section 1601 of the SAFETEA would reverse a long-standing
> prohibition on federal funding of state-run vehicle scrappage plans
> through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
> (CMAQ), administered by the Federal Highway Administration. In this
> case, U.S. taxpayer dollars would be used to purchase and crush cars
> made in 1979 and before.
>
> Scrappage will not achieve its intended goal of improving air quality,
> but it will damage automotive aftermarket businesses and eliminate
> American jobs.
>
> Under the program, states would use federal CMAQ funds to turn pre-1980
> vehicles into blocks of scrap metal. "Classic" or "parts cars" would
> not be spared from the crusher. Salvageable used parts would be lost
> rather than being rebuilt and reused to keep other vehicles running.
>
> In reality, the federal dollars would likely purchase 24+ years old
> cars that are not frequently driven. The program would also have a
> disproportionately adverse effect on lower and fixed-income Americans
> who depend on older vehicles and their replacement parts for daily
> transportation.
>
> In addition, there is no guarantee scrapped vehicles would be replaced
> by cleaner running or more fuel-efficient models. Scrappage programs
> typically offer owners who surrender vehicles for crushing a cash
> payment towards the purchase of another vehicle. However, the payment
> hardly is enough to cover the cost of even a down payment on a newer
> used car; and there is nothing to prevent someone from receiving
> payment for scrapping a clean-running and fuel- efficient 1979 compact
> car and replacing it with a potentially more-polluting, and likely less
> fuel-efficient light truck or SUV.
>
> Opponents maintain that scrappage programs sound good but they don't
> work. Congress has abandoned at least nine such measures over the past
> decade once they became educated to the fact that scrappage programs
> are not cost-effective and do not positively impact air quality
> emissions. In addition, the automotive aftermarket industry's
> substantial experience with state-level scrappage proposals indicates
> that most states elect not to use or discontinue implementation of
> vehicle scrappage programs as a method for meeting air- quality goals
> based on their cost and failure to demonstrate real benefits.
>
> The opposition statement was made on behalf of the Alliance of
> Automotive Service Providers (AASP), Automatic Transmission Service
> Group (ATSG), Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA),
> Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA), Automotive Parts
> Rebuilders Association (APRA), Automotive Warehouse Distributors
> Association (AWDA), Production Engine Remanufacturers Association
> (PERA), SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, Service
> Stations Dealers of America and Allied Trades (SSDA-AT) and Tire
> Industry Association (TIA).
>
>
>