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Air Pollution: Delays in Motor Vehicle Inspection Programs Jeopardize Attainment of the Ozone Standard

RCED-98-175 Published: Jun 15, 1998. Publicly Released: Jun 30, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the status of states' motor vehicle inspection programs, focusing on the: (1) progress made by the 23 states that are required to implement enhanced inspection and maintenance (I&M) programs, including the difficulties that the states have encountered; and (2) impact that delays in implementing enhanced I&M programs may have on the states' ability to comply with the national air quality standard for ozone.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency In view of the pivotal role that enhanced I&M programs play in reducing VOC emissions and the delays experienced to date in implementing these programs, as well as the possibility of future delays, the Administrator, EPA, should compile information on the more successful practices, such as public relations campaigns, used by the states that have implemented their enhanced I&M programs and share the information with those states that are in the early stages of developing and implementing their programs.
Closed – Implemented
EPA's Office of Mobile Sources is tracking information on successful practices and using an informal process to share that information with states that are developing and implementing I/M programs. The Office of Mobile Sources participates in numerous regularly scheduled meetings where EPA officials update stakeholders on the latest changes in I/M and provide guidance on successful practices. Annual conferences, impromptu meetings and conference calls are also used to provide information and guidance on successful practices. In some cases, where successful practices have been demonstrated, OMS has translated them into various forms or guidance documents which states have implemented. For example, based on information EPA compiled on best practices, OMS developed guidance on clean screening that states are using to target the portion of their vehicle fleet that can be exempted from I/M testing.

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Topics

Natural Resources and Environment
Air pollution controlEnvironmental monitoringHazardous substancesMotor vehicle pollution controlSafety standardsState programsOzoneMotor vehiclesOzone standardsCarbon monoxide