The following is a press release from the Motorcycle Industry Council updated over the weekend:

IRVINE, Calif. – Powersports employees, in manufacturing, distribution, sales, rentals, and maintenance, are essential workers, according to newly revised federal guidelines released today. This clarifies that many powersports businesses nationwide can remain open, thanks to the addition of new language added to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.

This guidance, which outlines the federal government’s position on essential workers, is currently in use by 33 of the states with stay-at-home orders, and has always listed “automotive repair” employees as essential workers. The CISA 3.0 guidance for the transportation sector now expressly includes: “Workers critical to the manufacturing, distribution, sales, rental, leasing, repair, and maintenance of vehicles and other transportation equipment (including electric vehicle charging stations) and the supply chains that enable these operations to facilitate continuity of travel-related operations for essential workers.”

“We are grateful to CISA Director Christopher Krebs, who heard our case and made this important clarification,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president of government relations. “Proper servicing of all types of vehicles, including during times of emergency, is absolutely necessary. However, everyone still needs to follow state and local guidelines, as well as health official directives, and practice social distancing.”

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect, and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications, media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, data communications standards, and involvement in technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories, and related services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies, and consultants.

The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at MIC.org.

Main Image: Andrew Fredrickson