facilities. ARA members need to share their “on- the-ground” stories on issues related to stormwater permitting and to urge policymakers to support stormwater policies implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that have been developed with industry involvement. Congress needs to hear your voice object to the time and resources being wasted fighting the erroneous legal claims of those who are challenging policies using politics rather than established scientific methods.

• Conversely, policymakers who oversee agencies and programs dealing with workplace safety and management of materials that impact the environ- ment need to hear from you. Agencies might very well increase their regulatory efforts before a potential party switch in 2016 and congressional members on the committees responsible for agency oversight must be reminded by you – the professional automotive recycler – of the benefits of recycled OEM parts. Your education of and ongoing conversations with these members will allow them to better oversee efforts in agencies including EPA, DOT and DOE on automotive parts supply chain issues. • The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) Advisory Board met in February 2016 and the industry is well represented by the two professional automotive recyclers on the Board. But they need your voice to reinforce to other Board members that the system is not doing a good job of tracking end of life vehicles and that the process needs improvement – they need your voice to talk with Members of Congress to urge them to ensure changes so that a law that they passed is effectively enforced.

The Benefits of Participation

ARA has long hosted its annual Hill Day and many of you over the years have made it a priority event to attend to help open doors to your elected representatives and to learn in more detail how the Congress and the Agencies work on our issues. For example, because of his ongoing annual participa- tion in Hill Days and his continued visits to his con- gressional delegation both at home in Iowa and on Capitol Hill, ARA President Mike Swift was able to tell the recycler’s story in his voice during high level meetings with legislators and automakers during the throes of legislative negotiations this fall in late 2015. According to Mike, coming to Washington on a regular basis and meeting with your Senators

January-February 2016 | Automotive Recycling 51

and Representatives teaches you how to represent the concerns of individual recy- clers and industry all of which better positions ARA to win legislative victories. Likewise, ARA CAR Com- mittee Chair Shannon Nord- strom continued building his relationship with Senator John Thune (R-SD) by host- ing the Senator at his facility in South Dakota and then following up in meetings with the Senator and his staff during ARA Hill Day in Washington, DC. It is indeed a proud moment for the industry when a U.S. Senator greets a con- stituent automotive recycler as warmly and knowl- edgeably as Senator Thune did with Shannon and as professionally as his staff did with ARA staff. Participation in these meetings by representatives of ARA State Affiliate Chapters including both staff and state association leadership also is critical to help policymakers see the face of professional auto-

ARA Hill Day & Legislative Summit April 17, 2016 - April 19, 2016 To Be Held At The

W Hotels Worldwide –Washington D.C. (Pictured Above)

515 15th St. NW Washington, DC 20004 Hotel Phone: (202) 661-2434 To Register:

Call Jessica Andrews at (571) 208-0428 or email jessica@a-r-a.org