Lawmakers want to end mandatory vehicle emissions tests for Cleveland-area motorists

Ohio lawmakers hope to put the kibosh on mandatory motor vehicle emissions tests for Cleveland-area motorists.

Lawmakers have worked to end the mandatory E-Check program, which requires the tests to be administered every two years in Cuyahoga and six additional surrounding counties — Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit. They’re hoping the Trump Administration will help them eliminate the mandate, possibly as soon as this year.

Cleveland.com reported that Ohio’s latest biennial budget directs the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency director to “immediately discontinue” and “take any actions necessary to effectuate” the program should the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determine that Ohio no longer must follow federal ozone standards.

“Since 1995 as you know the amount of pollution coming out of tailpipes has declined between 95 and 97%,” News Channel 5 quoted Ohio Rep. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield. “And the air in Northeast Ohio actually met the Federal guidelines that were established,” he continued.

“But what happened? In 2015 the U.S. EPA said guess what we’re going to change the guidelines,” Roemer added. “They moved the goalposts on us. They made them even more stringent. So we are meeting the guidelines that were mandated when E-Check was initially imposed.”

Fox 8 reported that Buckeye State spends more than $12 million annually operating the E-Check program.

The spending plan also requires the Ohio EPA director to assess whether the state’s E-check program is necessary to meet the ozone standards established by the federal Clean Air Act. The director must issue a report by spring 2027.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed the 5,000-page bill last month.

According to News Channel 5 in Cleveland, the relevant sentence in the budget reads “if the United States environmental protection agency determines that the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program implemented in accordance with this section is not necessary for the state or any area of the state to comply with the federal Clean Air Act, the director shall immediately discontinue the program and take any actions necessary to effectuate the termination of the program.”

The federal environmental agency appears to support ending the mandate.

“EPA is committed to working with Ohio to achieve the state’s air quality goals while growing the economy,” the EPA told the station in a statement. “This means cooperating closely with Ohio and all states to ensure Clean Air Act plans are in place in a timely way to continue improving air quality without imposing undue costs or red tape.”