The story in today’s Idaho Statesman about vehicle emissions testing contains several inaccuracies and/or misrepresentations.
First, I have been advocating reducing the number of required emissions tests since I first served on the Air Quality Board in 2001, as the relevant science has shown the additional tests do little to improve our air quality. The Board finally voted in December of 2009 to reduce testing frequency as of January 1, 2010. This change was in no way precipitated by, “a state program forcing the tests on Canyon County drivers.”
Second, because of the dramatic reduction in the number of required emissions tests, the Ada County Air Quality Board expected about half of the testing stations to go out of business soon with or without SysTech and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in the picture.
Third, if the county joins the DEQ program, Ada County vehicle owners stand to save up to $9 per emissions test which would add up to over a million dollars each of the next five years. This money will stay in the pockets of individuals, who will then be able to save it or invest it however they see fit, in the local economy.
Fourth, the article states that in Canyon County, “people may have no choice but to get out of their cars and go to a waiting room while their car is tested”. Nothing stops us, in Ada County, from requiring DEQ to set up a certain percentage of drive-in/drive-out testing sites. In addition, nothing prohibits Canyon County vehicle owners from watching the test be performed on their vehicle either.
Fifth, the Ada County emissions testing program and the DEQ rules have a prohibition against testing stations also doing repairs. This rule is in place to prevent testing stations from purposely failing vehicles. If a testing station fails to abide by this rule, they stand to have their license to operate revoked.
Sixth, the DEQ and SysTech emissions testing program has significantly greater anti-fraud protections in place than the current Ada County program. To imply otherwise is not only grossly misleading, but is also a disservice to all Ada County vehicle owners.
For more factual information about vehicle emissions testing, check out the DEQ website at http://www.deq.idaho.gov/air/prog_issues/emissions_testing/treasure_valley_program.cfm
The bottom line is that DEQ and SysTech offer the opportunity for Ada County vehicle owners to save over $1 million a year for five years for a government-mandated emissions test that many of us view with suspicion to begin with. That savings is good for vehicle owners and for the local economy.
Dear Commissioner Ullman. Thank you for reducing the annual testing cycle. However,$9.00 savings every two years would not amount to much of a savings compared to current very convenient locations. The surviving testing locations are spread around the city where we can get smog tested during lunch time. That convenience is priceless for only $2.50 per year. Please preserve the current system. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thank you and good luck on the campaign. SWBoise