Thursday, March 19, 2009

Your Support Is Needed

Please help us in joining our dear friend Malcolm Smith and his family in overturning this careless legislation passed by lawmakers as the Consumer Product Safety Commission of 2008, or CPSC, has made it illegal for motorcycle dealers across America to sell motorcycles, ATV, snowmobiles, parts, helmets etc. for use by children under the age of 12 because of small amounts of lead.

Regulations are outlined under Title I of the Act and sets the lead limit at “600 parts per million total lead content by weight for any part of the product.” That limit will drop to 300 ppm one year after the date of enactment and 100 ppm three years after unless deemed technologically unfeasible.

This is a vital form of off-highway recreation for American families, preserve youth racing and help protect the thousands of jobs associated with this industry.

So please go to http://www.tomself.com/ and scroll down to the pre-written letter to send to our Chairwoman Nancy Nord or fax it to Feinstein at 202-228-3954.


Check Out: KIDSLOVE2RIDE.COM
Check Out: 63 pages long, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.Pdf


Thank you,

Anita & Gordon
http://www.inlandrovers.com/



House Resolution 736 Introduced by Representative Tom Self

A new federal law aimed at protecting children from lead in toys has also forced a nationwide halt in sales of off-road motorcycles and recreational vehicles built for young riders, halting a multimillion-dollar industry that was thriving despite the recession; and

Under the CPSIA, "children's product" means a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger; and

Youth model all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway motorcycles, as well as parts and accessories for youth ATVs and motorcycles are severely impacted by the new lead limits established under the CPSIA; and

Over 50,000 U.S. citizens have requested through www.tomself.com alone that a letter be sent on their behalf to the Consumer Product Safety Commission voicing their concerns on this small powersports issue; and

There are many other ongoing efforts which are receiving a large volume of responses from citizens similarly concerned with this small powersports issue; and

As a result of the CPSIA, thousands of powersports dealers were told to halt all sales of vehicles designed for children 12 and younger, new and used; and

The Motorcycle Industry Council estimates nearly 100,000 youth bikes were sold in the United States in 2008. An industry trade publication estimates the value of inventory at United States dealers which can no longer be sold probably exceeds $100 million; and

Beyond the current inventory, there are millions and millions of dollars worth of parts now in the product pipeline to dealers that cannot be sold; and

The industry estimates the retail market value for all off-road cycles and ATVs at $14.5 billion a year, including sales, service, parts, accessories, and payroll; and

Consumers have borrowed significant amounts of money on untold hundreds of thousands of youth ATVs and motorcycles; and

Parts for these youth ATVs and motorcycles are now unavailable, which in many cases renders the ATV or motocycle inoperable or not safely operable; and

If parts are not readily available, owners and operators may be tempted or forced to go beyond normal maintenance and repair guidelines, resulting in an improperly performing machine; and

The Consumer Product Safety Commission needs to take a common sense approach to implementation of the CPSIA's lead provisions in order to avoid major disruptions to youth ATV and motorcycle enthusiasts, owners, manufacturers, and the dealer network of thousands of small, independent businesses which employ tens of thousands of Americans; and

While protecting children from those products that truly present a lead risk is important, there should be a waiver or exclusion for products that do not present risk to children; and

While the CPSIA provides for exclusions and authorizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission to grant exclusions under certain conditions, to date the Consumer Product Safety Commission has not granted any exclusions for youth ATVs and motorcycles; and

Any delay in providing a waiver or exclusion for youth ATVs and motorcycles creates an untenable situation for thousands of owners, manufacturers, and dealers, many of whom are small businesses. Huge inventories of products that present no health risk to children are rendered retroactively illegal, and future products are prohibited from sale; and

A waiver or exclusion for youth ATVs and motorcycles is needed because, in the absence of government action, there likely will not be any new youth ATVs or motorcycles available for purchase in their local dealerships and owners will not be able to obtain parts for youth ATVs and motorcycles already purchased:

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