North Carolina Submits Proposal to Eliminate Annual Emissions Inspections
North Carolina has moved forward with plans to eliminate annual emissions inspections, and now only awaits approval from a federal agency, reports The Herald Sun.
The state has had emissions inspections since 1982, which grew to be required in 48 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, but in recent years has made pushes to change this. In 2019, emissions inspections were no longer required in 26 of those counties, with another three joining in 2022. Approval was gained from the General Assembly last month to eliminate emissions inspections for 18 of the 19 remaining counties.
Mecklenburg County would be the exception, which has the state’s largest city of Charlotte. Under the proposal, the number of vehicles required to be inspected in Mecklenburg would be gradually decreased before inspections are phased out entirely around 2037.
According to the North Carolina Division of Air Quality, improvements in vehicle technology have led to less pollution and less of a need to require drivers to conduct emissions tests each year.
Annual safety inspections will still be required, though drivers will be paying only $13.60 for the safety test rather than $30 for both safety and emissions testing.
North Carolina plans to submit its proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which will then have 18 months to review it and decide if it will approve. In the meantime, the state will be accepting public feedback on the proposal through Sep. 4.
