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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session |
House: NREW DP 13-0-0-0-0-0 |
HB 2455: air quality omnibus
Sponsor: Representative Griffin, LD 14
Caucus & COW
Overview
Make several changes to Voluntary Vehicle Repair and Retrofit Program (VVRRP) and Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP).
History
VVRRP
The VVRRP was created in 1998 and requires each county with more than 400,000 people to operate and administer this program. Someone who owns a car that is a least 12 years old, fails an emissions inspection test and meets other statutory criteria can participate in this program. In return for paying a $150 copayment, an owner can have their vehicle repaired or have a retrofit kit installed provided the repair, parts and labor costs do not exceed certain limits established in statute (A.R.S. § 49-474.03). Participating county boards of supervisors must appoint a committee to advise and make recommendations on developing and implementing this program (A.R.S. § 49-474.04).
Statute also requires each county with more than 1,200,000 residents to operate and administer a similar program to replace catalytic converters on vehicles that fail emissions tests (A.R.S. § 49-474.03(E)).
VEIP
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director administers the VEIP. Vehicles that are registered in Area A (the Phoenix metropolitan area and parts of Pinal and Yavapai Counties) and Area B (the Tucson metropolitan area), or that are used to commute to workplaces in these areas, must pass annual or biennial inspections to ensure compliance with minimum emissions standards. The ADEQ Director is responsible for adopting these standards, which are based on the class of vehicle and location in the Phoenix or Tucson metropolitan area. A vehicle cannot be sold in these metropolitan areas or registered until it has passed an inspection (A.R.S. § 49-542). Additionally, car dealers in these areas must, under certain circumstances, repair a vehicle, reimburse the buyer for the cost of failed test or enter into an alternative agreement if a vehicle they recently sold fails an emissions test (A.R.S. § 49-542.03).
Statute also requires ADEQ to research and quantify the effect of alternative fuels on toxic components of vehicle emissions. ADEQ must use monies from the Air Quality Fund to purchase equipment to measure the effects of using oxygenated gasoline blends (A.R.S. § 49-553).
Provisions
VVRRP
1. Repeals the requirement that counties with over 400,000 people must operate and administer a VVRRP and instead directs ADEQ to operate and administer this program in areas that have the VEIP. (Sec. 7)
2. Removes the 12 years or older model year restriction to allow all vehicles that fail emissions testing requirements to participate in this program. (Sec. 7)
3. Reduces the customer copayment for those who qualify for this program from $150 to $100. (Sec. 7)
4. Increases, from $700 to $1,000, the required amount of repair or retrofit costs that makes a vehicle ineligible for the program unless its owners choose to pay additional costs. (Sec. 7)
5. Eliminates the requirement that vehicles undergo a pre-repair emissions test before repairs or retrofits. (Sec. 7)
6. Allows ADEQ to contract with an independent contractor to develop and implement all or any portion of this program. (Sec. 7)
7. Terminates the VVRRP advisory committee. (Sec. 1)
8. Deletes the mandate that counties with a population over 1,200,000 operate and administer a program to replace catalytic converters on vehicles that do not meet emissions standards. (Sec. 7)
VEIP
9. Removes the mandate that ADEQ:
a) Conduct research to quantify the effects of alternative fuels on toxic components of vehicle emissions and instead allows ADEQ to research vehicle emissions; and
b) Acquire equipment with Air Quality Fund monies to measure the emissions of effects of oxygenated gasoline blends in vehicle emissions testing. (Sec. 6)
10. Allows ADEQ to hire consultants to analyze the costs and benefits of measures to reduce emissions, instead of carbon monoxide. (Sec. 6)
11. Conditions the enactment of this legislation on the U.E. Environmental Protection Agency approving the following proposed changes to the vehicle emissions testing program protocols by July 1, 2022:
a) VEIP testing requirements; and
b) Motor vehicle dealer emissions testing. (Sec. 8 and 9)
Miscellaneous
12.
Makes technical and conforming changes.
(Sec. 2 through 7)
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16. Initials PAB Caucus & COW
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