Press Release
Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Announces Conditional Federal Approval
10/01/96
EPA Proposes Conditional Approval for State Emissions Plan HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 27 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to conditionally approve Pennsylvania's customer-focused, decentralized automobile emissions inspection and repair plan. "The EPA's proposed approval is another milestone in our plan to end the centralized emissions testing program dictated by Washington, D.C., and to replace it with a customized emissions inspection and repair program for Pennsylvania that meets the unique needs of our environment and our motorists," said James M. Seif, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). "This move is a critical step in our efforts to improve Pennsylvania's air quality; to avoid a federally mandated one-size-fits-all solution; and to prevent the possibility of economic sanctions against the state," he added. The conditional approval also helps the Commonwealth meet program obligations required under the Clean Air Act. A public comment period on the proposed decision will be open for 30 days following publication of this announcement in the Federal Register. Publication is expected soon. Sound care of a motor vehicle includes clean-air maintenance as well as safety responsibilities, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Bradley L. Mallory, who said combining the emissions test with the annual safety inspection achieves both objectives easily. PennDOT, in partnership with inspection stations, is initiating a pilot program to demonstrate the equipment and procedures for the enhanced emissions program. Several private repair stations in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas will offer customers a voluntary try-out of the new emissions test when they come in for their regular emissions test or safety inspection over a six-month demonstration period. Since it will take several months to acquire and install equipment and train personnel, the pilot program will begin in late fall and should be completely operational by January 1997. Philadelphia-area stations are: Claude Baldino Repair Service Inc., Havertown; Keystone Auto Club, Broomall; Fox Chase Coastal, Philadelphia; Torchiana Automotive, West Chester; Stockberger Chevrolet Inc., Newtown; and Joe Gisondis Sunoco Ultra Service Center, Maple Glen. Pittsburgh-area stations are: Chrysler Plymouth West Inc., Coraopolis; M&M Auto Service, Pittsburgh; Bastone Auto Service, Pittsburgh; Campbells Sunoco Ultra Service Center, North Huntingdon; and Friends Sunoco Ultra Service Center, Aliquippa. PennDOT's equipment division will also test state cars in Harrisburg during the demonstration project. Since the five-county Philadelphia region is classified by the federal government as being in severe nonattainment for ozone, service stations and private garages there will use an acceleration simulation mode (ASM) test. This test simulates on-road conditions. Stations in the Pittsburgh area will use BAR 96 idle test equipment. Gov. Tom Ridge unveiled Pennsylvania's decentralized auto emissions program in October 1995. Since then, representatives from AAA, service station and garage associations, the state police, and DEP have been working with PennDOT to develop the operational aspects of the program. The new plan is based on customer convenience and will allow motorists to have their cars tested at a qualified, participating private service station or garage of their choice. Tests will take place annually, similar to the state's safety inspection. Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly rejected the previous administration's proposed centralized testing program, which offered no such choice, requiring motorists to go to a centralized testing station operated by a government contractor. In addition to the new emissions program, stakeholder groups representing industry, motorists, local governments and the public from the southeast and southwest parts of the state are working on specific solutions to ozone problems in those areas. The new emissions program will take effect in Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington and Westmoreland counties in the fall of 1997. PennDOT will phase in the remaining counties involved in the program in 1999. Those counties include Berks, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Cumberland, Dauphin, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Northampton and York. More information on the vehicle emissions test and repair program is available by visiting DEP's website at http://www.dep.state.pa.us (choose Environmental Subjects/Air Quality).