NASHVILLE – Mandatory vehicle emissions testing will no longer be required in Hamilton County and four other Tennessee counties starting in mid-January after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave final approval to a years-long effort to end the program aimed at curbing nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide pollutants.
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation officials announced the decision, which came Tuesday when EPA formally published a notice in the Federal Register that revised the state’s air quality plan.
While it takes effect Sept. 16, actual vehicle testing will continue actually until Jan. 14, 2022, in the five affected counties.
Besides Hamilton, the counties of Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson are expected to discontinue their programs. Davidson County has chosen to continue its program.
“Emissions testing is over in Hamilton County effective January 14, 2022! Boom! The long fight is over!” tweeted state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who along with the late Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, led a several-year effort to pass legislation requiring Tennessee to apply to lift the testing aimed at curbing ozone pollution. That came in 2018 after state officials announced in 2017 that Tennessee and the affected counties had become fully compliant with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ambient air quality standards for ozone and particulate emissions.