The House Transportation Committee considered bills that were introduced just this week that would end the vehicle emissions inspection program and prohibit Pennsylvania from adopting California car emissions standards.

House Bill 2140 (Baldwin-R-Lancaster), which would end the vehicle emissions inspection program on December 31, 2006, was considered by the Committee, but not reported out.

Opponents of the bill pointed out that Pennsylvania could lose $1.6 billion in federal highway construction funds if the program were ended without imposing additional emission controls on businesses or other sources to make up for the lost emission reductions.

In addition, since Pennsylvania’s emissions inspection program was the result of the settlement of a lawsuit in Federal Court against the Commonwealth by environmental groups, the Court could order a resumption of the program to fulfill the state’s commitment under the federal Clean Air Act.

House Bill 2141 (Geist-R-Blair), which would prohibit the Environmental Quality Board from adopting California vehicle emission standards, was reported out.

A third bill, House Bill 2142 (Baldwin), which would make vehicle safety inspections every other year, was not reported out of Committee. (The emissions and safety inspection program are tied together in some areas of the state where visual inspection of air pollution control equipment is required as part of the safety inspection, but where no stand-alone emission inspection is required.)

Ending the emissions inspection program and making the vehicle safety inspection program every other year were on a list of fall legislative priorities announced by House Republican Leadership this week.

NewsClips: GOP Bill Eliminates Auto Emissions Inspection

Bill to End Emissions Tests Stalls in Panel

Lawmakers Move to Block California Car Emission Standards

10/28/2005