Dear NOHVCC Network,

As you are aware, we don’t send out many action alerts, but we believe this issue warrants immediate action.  As you’ll see below, an action by the CPSC would make it illegal to sell youth model OHVs containing any lead products after February 10^th.  Many OHV frames are coated with paint that contains small quantities of lead and items like battery terminals and valve stem cores contain lead.  This will have a negative effect on riders ability to buy youth models, and will result in dealers and manufacturers holding inventory that will hurt an already ailing market.

NOHVCC is a strong advocate of child protection, but the lead contained in youth OHVs poses absolutely no threat to children.  Please take time now to read and take action on the attached Blue Ribbon Coalition action alert.  Please redistribute this message it to your individual networks also.

Russ Ehnes

Executive Director, NOHVCC

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Attention BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

HELP STOP THE FEBRUARY 10TH BAN ON YOUTH OHVS

On February 10, 2009, a new law regulating lead content in certain products will go into effect. This could adversely affect companies that manufacture or distribute youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles  and parts and accessories for those vehicles . Dealers that sell and service those products would be impacted as well.

The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have urgently requested the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and federal legislators to take a common sense approach to implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act's lead provisions.

SVIA and MIC have joined  several of their member companies in filing petitions with the CPSC for emergency relief from the provisions. They are seeking a temporary final rule to exempt ATV and motorcycle  components, parts  and accessories in order to avoid major disruptions to enthusiasts, to the member companies' businesses, and to the companies' dealer network of thousands of small, independent businesses, which employ tens of thousands of Americans.

BRC is asking all OHV users to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission and their elected officials today!

Use the following links to send your comments and to contact your Congressional Representatives.
Included below is a sample letter regarding the potential ban of all youth-oriented OHVs, which starts February 10, 2009. 

CPSC Comment Page
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/info.aspx

Use the BRC Rapid Response Center to contact Members of Congress and cut, paste and edit the sample letter below.
http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition

PS: BRC needs your support via membership and donations to help us continue our efforts to champion responsible OHV access to public lands. To sign up as a member or to make a donation, Click Here:

_______________________________________________________________

Sample Letter:

As a member of the OHV community, I want to voice my strong support for petitions filed recently by the Motorcycle Industry Council and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America to seek emergency relief from provisions, which go into effect on February 10, 2009.

While I do support efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to protect children from lead content in products that truly present a risk to children, I do not believe the Commission intended that metal parts on ATVs and motorcycles be included in that regulation because they do not present a lead risk to children.

As the spring OHV recreation season rapidly approaches, I ask you to support efforts to exclude youth-oriented OHVs - and the businesses that sell and service them - from being unnecessarily impacted by this ban, especially during this economic crisis.

Sincerely,

Your name &
Address