NASHVILLE – The effort to end mandatory vehicle emissions testing programs in Hamilton County and four Middle Tennessee counties took a major step this week after state officials submitted scientific documents to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in hopes of winning approval.
“These packages represent the State’s request to EPA to remove the emissions testing program from the State Implementation Program under the Clean Air Act,” said Eric Ward, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in response to a Times Free Press inquiry on Friday.
The submission was made Thursday, and EPA will have up to 18 months to act on the request. The burden is on the state to demonstrate how it can maintain compliance with federal ozone and particulate emission standards without emissions testing.
If federal regulators approve the request, a 2018 state law sponsored by Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, and Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, provides that vehicle emissions testing programs would end 120 days later in Hamilton as well as Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford and Williamson counties in Middle Tennessee.
Davidson County was excluded from the law at the request of Metro Nashville officials.