Small Engine Regulations

"This letter was sent to the Oklahoma Senators and First District Representatives on 7-9-12."

Congressman John Sullivan
P.O. Box 470840
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147

Dear Sir,

Please reference a bulletin from a major small engine manufacturer that they sent to their distributors and dealers. This bulletin spotlights the cancer growing in our federal government called oppressive regulation. These laws state the dealer can not sell tools, fuel lines or gas tank caps unless the buyer is approved by the EPA or pay a $35,000.00 fine. The results of this law puts an unnecessary burden on small businesses because this law covers all 2 cycle engines used on weed eaters, chainsaws, cutoff saws, tampers, blowers, mowers and most other hand held equipment. Most people who use this equipment are small businesses such as lawn maintenance, loggers, concrete contractors, building contractors and others. These people normally maintain and repair their own equipment and most of the time out on the job. The new law requires them to take their equipment to a certified carburetor mechanic for a 5 minute tune up and this is just not right. Downtime for this operation can not be justified.

You were selected by the people in Oklahoma to represent us in the federal government. Your political advertisements claim you fight restrictive legislation, however while you pose in front of the cameras blowing about high profile cases the EPA is creating laws that are killing small businesses ability to work. How you can allow the EPA to make laws without your review and approval should be unconstitutional. These are laws that we have to live by and you don’t have a clue what they are all about. In addition, how can this burden be justified when the total fuel required to run this equipment is compared with the total fuel for houses, electric generation, vehicles and industry. The percentage of 2 cycle fuel to the total USA fuel consumption can’t be measured.

The EPA should be required to furnish an economic impact study to determine the cost per ton of pollutants for each regulation. This would provide the public with the efficiency and the burden cost of the propsed regulation. law.

In the beginning of this great nation our representatives were sent to Washington to protect us from foreign governments. Now you are sent to protect us from our own government.

Please do your job.
 

Congressman John Sullivan's reply, 7-31-12