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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Dec. 1, 1999
99-255
Contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7192
John Raymond, air quality specialist, 360-407-6856
OLYMPIA - Fewer motor vehicles will need to have their emissions checked starting next month, under changes being implemented by the Washington Department of Ecology.
Legislation passed in 1998 exempts vehicles less than five and more than 25 model-years old from having emission inspections, starting in 2000. Until then, the program applies to 1968-and-newer gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Department of Ecology (Ecology) statistics show that newer vehicles rarely violate emissions standards, while older ones often cannot be repaired at a reasonable cost.
"Most air-quality benefit comes from middle-aged vehicles," said Mary Burg, who manages Ecology's air-quality program, "but exempting old and new models will make the air quality standards a little harder to meet. We meet clean-air standards by just a narrow margin."
Urban parts of Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane counties have the emission-check program. In 2000, 1976 through 1996 vehicles will need inspections. (Parts of Clark County already have this exemption under a pilot program.) Vehicles manufactured in even-numbered years are tested in even years; odd-model-year vehicles get their tests in odd years.
While the new exemptions will reduce the number of vehicles being tested, many of the fixed costs of the privately run testing facilities remain. Under a contract extension between Ecology and Envirotest Systems, Inc., which owns and operates Emission Check stations, some operating costs will be trimmed by reducing business hours from 52 hours a week down to 40.
The new Emission Check station hours will be Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In addition, the current $12 inspection will increase to $15 on Dec. 31, 1999. The fee hike will enable Envirotest to reduce employee turnover by paying better wages.
"Envirotest needs to offer better wages to keep good employees in today's tight labor market," said Burg. "Workers who are well trained and experienced provide better customer service."
By state law, the emission-check program must be funded solely through the inspection fee. Even at the higher rate, Washington state will still have the nation's lowest emission-test fee.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
