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DEC warns Vermont senators EPA approval, modeling needed before changing annual emissions inspections
Summary
The Department of Environmental Conservation told the Senate Transportation Committee that moving from annual to biennial vehicle emissions inspections (S.211) would likely raise emissions, require emissions-performance modeling, and cannot take effect without amending Vermont's SIP and securing EPA approval.
Rachel Stevens, an attorney for the Agency of Natural Resources, told the Senate Transportation Committee that a proposed change to Vermont's vehicle emissions inspection schedule would face legal and technical hurdles and could increase air pollution.
Stevens, joined by Deirdre Ritzer of the Department of Environmental Conservation's Air Quality and Climate Division, said federal law requires new motor vehicles to comply with emissions standards and that Vermont follows California's low-emission vehicle rules. "All new motor vehicles, regardless of whether it's purchased or it's built at home, must comply with the latest emissions standards," Stevens said.
Why this matters: S.211 would alter the annual inspection requirement that applies to light-duty vehicles; DEC said moving to a biennial schedule would…
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