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IS IT TIME FOR A
PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS THE VALIDITY OF THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS TEST?
By
Clint Hardy (8-27-01)
Varying
viewpoints exist on whether or not the Vehicle Emissions Testing
(VET) should being administered in Jefferson County and the Northern Kentucky
area. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created by
the Clean Air Act in 1970. Subsequently, this environmental
agency began to mandate clean air standards and one of the remedies
used to clean our air was vehicle emissions testing. Air
quality standards set by the EPA have required Jefferson County to use the
VET beginning in the 1983-84 time frame. Automobiles, but mostly
light trucks and cars owned by local residents and commuters that worked
in Jefferson County had to have their car or truck tested. Since
then, commuters who work in Jefferson County and motorcycles operators no
longer partake in the vehicle exam.
Opponents of the VET in the past pointed out the fact that rigid
enforcement of the VET would cause suffering to poor individuals who has
used-model cars that are more likely to violate the standard.
Failure to pass the test may resulted in a costly legal process, which was
eliminated by passage of the AVIS system. The Kentucky General
Assembly enacted a law in the 2000 session to decriminalize the VET and
allow local county clerks to revoke car registrations after a warning sent
via mail. However, even these lesser punishments still affect poor
people the most. A variety of supporters agree with this sentiment,
but point out that if an individual has his car repaired the registration
will not be taken away.
Since 1970, the air quality has improved in the Louisville Metro
Area according to the EPA's own data, available on the EPA web page.
Since 1990, the EPA passed regulations lowering the emissions standards. This will mean that, even though our air is cleaner, we will
again be in violation in Jefferson County.
These new regulations threaten to expand the VET program across the
commonwealth in every Kentucky city over and around the population of
20,000. Local officials in Jefferson County Fiscal Court and the
Commonwealth of Kentucky sued to halt the new lower standard requirements.
The Supreme Court has ruled that many portions of the lower standards are
constitutional, but some legal questions remain. Those who are
against the VET oppose the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the lower standards
set in 1990 and 1997.
VET supporters suggest that the metro area has cleaned the air because of
their efforts. Opponents argue that Vehicle Testing is no longer
needed on automobiles that are in compliance and we should focus on the
ones that fail. Most of those who want to scrap the
testing say, "We have CAFE standards that improved mileage on cars,
and other federal legislation along with improved technology in pollution
control devices cleaned the air not the VET."
Who is right? The leaders in the movement to keep and end the VET
should prove their evidence in a public forum. Stop the Vet, led by
Richard Lewis and John Riley of Jefferson County, has been the
largest voice in opposition to the testing. Stop the VET and the Air
Pollution Control Board in Northern Kentucky, and Jefferson County should
supply their own information, with each side presenting its evidence.
It most likely will be difficult for these sides to meet, but this issue
increases in intensity annually.
Readers should let our government know what we think about Vehicle
Emissions Testing. If you want to know more about VET testing, visit
the archives of the Courier-Journal, or Jefferson Review on the subject
"Vehicle Emission Testing." One idea I am sure of and that
is the fact the voters of this commonwealth need to read information on
this subject because it will affect you soon.
To
reach the following sites: The Courier-Journal: http://www.courier-journal.com
or Jefferson Review at: http://www.jeffersonreview.com/
For
The Readers to Decide,
Clint
Hardy
Louisville,
KY
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