S.B. 1079: COMMITTEE SUMMARY                         AUTO EMISSIONS TESTING PROGRAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 1079 (as introduced 7-3-96) Sponsor: Senator William Van Regenmorter Committee: Transportation and Tourism

 

Date Completed: 9-18-96

 

CONTENT

 

The bill would amend Part 63 (motor vehicle emissions testing for west Michigan) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to revise the requirement that a motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) program be implemented in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties. The bill also would repeal a provision that exempts from Part 63 any area of the State subject to Part 63 that has been redesignated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as having attained the national ambient air quality standards for ozone and has demonstrated maintenance of the standards without a motor vehicle emissions I/M program.

 

The Act requires the Michigan Department of Transportation, by January 1, 1995, to implement and administer in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties a motor vehicle emissions I/M program designed to meet the performance standards for such a program as established by the EPA. The bill would delete the January 1, 1995, date.

 

Currently, counties are excluded from the I/M program if they would be in attainment of the national ambient air quality standards for ozone but for emissions emanating from outside of the State if the EPA determines, based on a study of formation and transport of ozone, that the control of emissions in those areas would not significantly contribute to the attainment of the national ozone standards. The bill would retain this provision, but refer to the control of “motor vehicle emissions”.

 

The bill also would delete provisions requiring the Department of Natural Resources to submit to the EPA by November 13, 1993, an application requesting redesignation of the Grand Rapids ozone nonattainment area consisting of Kent and Ottawa Counties and the Muskegon ozone nonattainment area consisting of the Muskegon County; and requiring the implementation of the motor vehicle emissions I/M program to be suspended if the application is approved. The bill specifies, instead, that if an area in the State subject to Part 63 were redesignated by the EPA as being in attainment with national ambient air quality standards for ozone, then the inspection and maintenance program would have to be suspended. As the Act currently provides, the program could be reimplemented only if required as a contingency measure included in a maintenance plan approved by the EPA as part of the redesignation.

 

MCL 324.6306                                                                                   Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim


FISCAL IMPACT

 

The cost of the vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program for Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties was to be financed by an inspection fee of up to $24. The program was not implemented. If the program had been implemented, a $24 biennial fee would have generated approximately $6,000,000 annually.

 

Fiscal Analyst: B. Bowerman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S9596\S1079SA

 

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.