Positive Effects of the EPA for Consumers
Mostly, I never think about the EPA. It's there to find ways to protect the environment, but what it does usually has no visible effects on me, personally. Recently, though, the good the EPA does to help individual Americans was part of what I learned.
I own a 2021 Chevy Trax. I bought it in 2021. And as US-made cars go, it's overall warranty ended after 3 years. Because the car never goes too far from its garage, it only had 7700 miles on the odometer when the check engine light came on last week. "Damn!", I thought. "What's this going to cost me?"
So, I made an appointment to get the problem diagnosed at the dealership where I bought the car. Late on the day I took the car in, I got a call. A part in the evaporative emissions system had failed. At just 7700 miles. "So, how much is that going to cost me?" I asked the service manager.
"Well," he said, "Nothing. That part is included in an EPA decision that assigns responsibility for it to the manufacturer. So, we'll be reimbursed by GM for making the repair. The part's on order and you should get the car back early next week."
Today, I'm picking the car up. No charge. Not for the part, or the work, or even the diagnostics. Thanks to the EPA's monitoring of emissions systems of cars, GM is responsible for making the repair.
Now, I know that the dealer isn't going to get paid what they would have charged me. It just doesn't work that way. But, I get my car back with the issue corrected with no money leaving my wallet.
That's part of what the EPA does. Or did do. Who knows what Trump will do to screw that up?