Rep. Joseph Petrarca (D-Westmoreland) has introduced a resolution-- House Resolution 801-- which would request Congress to re-examine statewide enhanced automotive emissions testing because of the technological advancements in the auto industry.

Required by the federal Clean Air Act, vehicles must be tested annually for emissions. However, only 25 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties are required to perform the enhanced testing under the law.

“I have fought against emissions testing from the beginning,” Rep. Petrarca said. “It has never been uniformly applied and it is costly. Since the testing was implemented in the 1990s, newer, more efficient cars are on the road. It is time for Congress to re-evaluate the Clean Air Act, and end this unnecessary testing.”

Rep. Petrarca said newer vehicles give off fewer pollutants, and can account for 95 percent of vehicles passing the test. As a result, vehicle owners pay as much as $40 a year for a test they don't need.

Additionally, he noted that the law is applied arbitrarily. For example, Westmoreland County residents have to submit their vehicles for emissions testing, while those living in neighboring Armstrong County do not. Armstrong County has a lower population than Westmoreland County, which makes them exempt from examination.

The resolution has been referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for review.

9/17/2012