Better stay on top of government happenings lest our trucks are legislated
off the roads. This is Stella's Sept hemmings letter
Bob ADler
Emission Double Standard
Emission testing programs are always in the news. Newspaper articles =
report that Florida is the first state to end an emissions testing =
program without getting permission from the EPA. Governor Jeb Bush has =
called the tests an unnecessary burden on motorists. As Florida says =
goodbye to emissions tests, the St. Louis press reports on Missouri's =
new testing program. During the first three months of testing $16,800 =
were paid for damages on 86 claims of damage to vehicles. 35 claims were =
denied. Some alleged claims were of technicians not shifting a manual =
transmission right, and running the car on the dynamometer in first gear =
up to 30 miles an hour, causing engine damage.
The emissions test laws in Arizona confuse both motorists and police. =
People who commute to work or school into the polluted metropolitan =
areas are supposed to take their cars through the emissions test, =
according to the registration materials sent to auto owners. Those who =
live outside the metro area receive renewal forms saying "no emissions =
test required." They have to go on to read the fine print, under the =
heading "Emissions Test May Be Required," to learn that a commuter's =
auto "will require an emissions test." State law tells a different =
story. It says that testing is required only of people whose "principal =
place of employment" is in the metro areas. But that clarification is =
nowhere to be found in the information given to motorists. Compliance =
with the requirement, on the books since 1987, relies on the honor =
system. An Arizona "Republic" survey of lawmaker's license plate tags =
found that 21, all from rural areas, do not take their cars through the =
emissions test even though they drive into the Valley for their =
legislative jobs. Only one legislator has taken her van through the test =
- she passed. In some states there are legislators who brag of =
registering their cars in another state or area to bypass the testing =
requirements.
Old-car Bonanza
California's Smog Check II program has a goal to remove 110 tons a day =
of ozone-producing emissions. Programs in place so far will only get the =
state to 60 percent of that target, according to a recent report by the =
Air Resources Board. So the Bureau of Automotive Repair is offering =
$1,000 for your belching clunker. Effective or not, on July 1 the Bureau =
of Automotive Repair started paying motorists $1,000 for cars and light =
trucks that had failed their Smog Check. The vehicles must be in running =
condition, been registered in the state for at least two years and =
cannot have emission-control equipment that's been tampered with. =
Mechanics are now reporting that consumers are requesting that any =
tamper be fixed and they want their car to fail so they can collect the =
$1,000. There is hundreds of millions in a fund that can be spent on =
crushing cars. Regulations require that no parts will be saved. Much of =
the money comes from a $6 fee added to the registration costs of =
late-model cars that are exempt from the Smog Check program.
Taking your car to be crushed can also be an experience. One of our =
contacts drove their car to a dismantler. The car would have passed the =
Smog Check even though it had a burnt valve. But it had 150,000 miles on =
it. Watching the recording of the emissions, watching them manipulate =
the carburetor to record the tailpipe emissions so now the automobile =
read over 8% carbon monoxide and over 2000 parts per million =
hydrocarbons. The car was also recorded with only 50,00 miles on it. I =
wonder does this add to the pollution credit value?
CAPP has received a flyer that says California's SB-42 "Classic Car Smog =
Exemption" law is in jeopardy. Read about it at http://www.smogrfg.com.
Updates
I received many comments on the "HALT In The Name Of The Law" story. No =
more high-speed police pursuits, ever. If implanted in cars, the small =
microsensor would allow police with a remote control laser gun to force =
motorists to a slow, safe stop from up to half a mile away. The sensor =
would be embedded near the license plate, giving officers something to =
aim at. Implanting the device into a new car would cost about $20. =
Retrofitting cars already on the streets with the sensors would cost =
about $100. California sources reported that it was mentioned on the =
evening news that you would not be able to re-register your vehicle =
unless you had this installed! The bill to implement this in California =
is SB-2004; the author is Speier.
Finally, regarding the "Beware of the Texas Emissions Patrol" story, =
came this comment: "I heard on the news that a judge here refused to =
convict motorists who were caught with polluting cars, and did not =
respond to the letters they were sent ordering them to have their =
vehicles tested for excessive emissions."
More next month.
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