The Tire Industry Association (TIA) says it "continues to have significant concerns regarding the potential impact of California’s new tire regulation on tire dealers and consumers."

On Aug. 17, the California Energy Commission announced that it had approved the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program, the first fuel efficiency standard in the United States for replacement passenger and light truck tires. (Click here to read MTD's full report on the development, published yesterday.)

In a statement provided to MTD, Roy Littlelfield IV, vice president of goverment relations for TIA, said the association "has been actively involved in this process for years, working to ensure that the interests of tire dealers are represented and protected throughout the development of the regulation.

"Through that advocacy, TIA secured several major wins for California tire retailers. Most importantly, the showroom educational requirements were eliminated, reducing a significant burden on dealers. TIA also successfully advocated to ensure that the regulation applies only to the sale of new tires. This means dealers cannot be penalized for installing tires that a consumer purchased elsewhere.

"These are significant victories for California tire retailers and they demonstrate the value of TIA’s longstanding engagement in the regulatory process," Littlefield noted.

"While TIA continues to have serious concerns about the proposal and its potential effects on the industry, we will continue working to protect tire dealers and address the remaining concerns as implementation moves forward.”