U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Representative Ritchie Torres are pushing the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to move forward and finalize federal regulations for lithium-ion batteries by voting in favor of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on April 30. CPSC’s decision to move forward on a vote comes after the members sent a letter to CPSC earlier this week advocating for this move.
Lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly used in e-bikes, electric scooters, and other micromobility devices, are often manufactured abroad without being subject to acceptable safety standards. As a result, they commonly cause fires that lead to property damage or loss of life. Following an indefinite postponement of the meeting to advance federal regulations, the lawmakers called on the CPSC to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) – an official document explaining an agency’s plan to address a particular problem – on lithium-ion batteries as soon as possible in order to protect the lives of Americans who rely on e-bikes and e-scooters. CPSC scheduled a vote on the NPRM Thursday.
The members noted in the letter, “Last year, we led the effort in Congress to reach a bipartisan compromise that would have authorized the Commission to enact safety standards based upon generally accepted voluntary standards for the use of lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products. We will continue fighting to pass the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, but as the legislation works its way through Congress, the Commission must do all it can to save lives and protect Americans from the poorly-made batteries from China that have caused harm.”
You can read the letter below:
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