OPEI files letter with Trump administration

According to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), as part of ongoing partial government shutdown and required staff furloughs, the Environmental Protection Agency has suspended the processing of engine certifications. Manufacturers can still make engines, but they cannot ship or sell them without the proper certification. Additionally, engines and the products they power shipped from overseas could be forced to sit at ports, awaiting required certification.

“The manufacture and shipment of our members’ products is in many cases subject to seasonal demand, making the uninterrupted and efficient certification of engines by the EPA absolutely essential,” wrote Kris Kiser, president of OPEI, in a letter to President Trump and also sent to leadership of the House and Senate. “I urge you to work with Congressional leadership to immediately open those parts of the government currently shut down, including the EPA, which is essential for the conduct of normal business by our industry.”