Committee advances vehicle emissions bill package

The state Senate Transportation Committee advanced a four-bill package last week that aims to reform the vehicle emission process.

“Attaining emissions reductions through annual emissions testing has become difficult because of the improvement of technology over the years,” Sen. John Gordner (R-Montour County), a cosponsor of one of the bills, said. “Because of that technology, a vast majority of tested vehicles have passed and shown that they are compliant with state and federal emissions standards.”

The bills in the package would exempt gas-powered passenger vehicles from the program for the first eight years after manufacture in counties that require emissions testing, and replace annual vehicle emissions testing with a two-year testing requirement for gas-powered passenger vehicles older than eight years after manufacture in counties that require emissions testing. It would also exempt seven counties from current vehicle emissions testing requirements and extend the transition date for emissions inspection stations that are required to obtain new emissions testing equipment by Nov. 1.

The Joint State Government Commission issued a report in January that identified the seven counties that are candidates to be removed from the program. Removal would have a minimal effect on maintaining federal air quality standards.

The bills now move to the full Senate for consideration.