ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland senator is pushing to eliminate the state's vehicle emissions testing program, arguing that improved air quality makes the decades-old requirement unnecessary.
Sen. Justin Ready, a Republican representing Carroll and Frederick counties, defended his bill before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, saying the state should "declare victory" on air quality improvements.
"The state should declare victory, we should say great, we cleaned up the air quality, let's not keep nickel and diming our ratepayers," Ready said.
The emissions testing program began in the 1970s when air quality was poor and lawmakers responded by testing cars to see how much pollution was coming out of them. The tests currently cost $30 with assistance or $26 for self-service.
According to information Ready received from the Maryland Department of the Environment, very few vehicles actually fail the test.
"Only six percent of cars fail and usually when they fail it is because of some mechanical issue, not because their emissions are too high, and the air quality has improved dramatically in the Baltimore and Washington region over time," Ready said.
The bill has bipartisan support, though some questions emerged during the hearing. Sen. Charles Sydnor, a Democrat from Baltimore County, raised concerns about maintaining air quality standards.
"If we take this away we have to find some other type of air quality emissions reductions, has that been identified?" Sydnor asked.
Ready responded that the state has other programs that could address air quality concerns.
"We have a lot of other programs I believe that could address that issue," Ready said.
However, the proposal faces challenges as it would remove money from the state budget during a tight budget year.
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