Changes to vehicle emissions program

Automobile owners in Sheboygan County have grown accustomed to the often-frustrating motor vehicle emission inspection and maintenance program (I/M program) administered jointly by the State Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

As a citizen and as your state Senator, I have serious questions regarding the benefit of this costly and time consuming process and have tried to have the program eliminated. Unfortunately, I have not been able to generate enough support for this effort and the program continues.

Today, I want to inform you of a few changes coming to the program that could have a big impact on those of us who are required under law to use the emissions testing process.

First, May 20, 2010 brought the implementation of a set of changes passed by the legislature in an effort to bring private vendors into the emissions testing process. Specifically, 2009 Wisconsin Act 228 allows WisDOT to contract with private auto service garages or dealers to perform vehicle emission inspections. The new law requires the vendor to comply with all of WisDOT’s requirements under the I/M program and permits the business to use a subcontractor as long as program requirements are respected. If repairs are needed as a result of the test, the vehicle owner would still be able to have the auto repair shop of their choosing perform the needed maintenance.

Today, only the WisDOT can perform emissions tests. By introducing private businesses into the process via Act 228, I am hopeful that we can reduce the overall cost of the I/M program by eventually eliminating the need for expensive WisDOT testing centers.

In addition to Act 228, the DNR has drafted a new rule proposal that could substantially increase the financial impact of the I/M program on Sheboygan County vehicle owners. Under current law, if you live in Sheboygan County and your vehicle fails an emissions test, the maximum amount of repairs you may be required to perform is capped at $200. Under the DNR rule proposal, however, the repair cost limit for Sheboygan County would be raised from $200 to $787.

The DNR claims that increasing the repair cost cap will bring Sheboygan in line with other counties that participate and help reduce the “significant ozone air quality problem in Sheboygan County.”

Many people join me in questioning the necessity and value of this program and numerous experts believe that the high ozone readings for Sheboygan County are generated artificially due to the fact that our local monitors are placed in the areas most likely to have high ozone readings (which are strongly influenced by atmospheric conditions over Lake Michigan).

This DNR proposal is still in the early stages of the rulemaking process and public input is welcome. In fact, a public hearing on this rule proposal has been scheduled in Sheboygan and I would encourage you to attend. The hearing will take place on June 10 at 1:30 p.m. in the Rocca Room at Mead Public Library, 710 N. 8th St. If you cannot attend the public hearing, you are invited to provide your input to the DNR directly by contacting no later than June 21:

Mr. Christopher Bovee DNR Bureau of Air Management P.O. Box 7921 Madison WI 53707 Phone: (608) 267-5542 Fax: (608) 267-0560

E-mail: christopher.bovee@wisconsin.gov

To view the entire rule proposal, you may contact my office or logon to http://dnr.wi.gov/air/ rules/calendar.htm and scroll down to NRB Order Number AM-13-10. The DNR needs to hear your positive or negative input on this proposal!

As always, it has been a pleasure communicating with you. Please remember to communicate with me and share your input by calling (888) 295-8750, writing to me at P.O. Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707-7882, or by e-mailing me at Sen.Leibham@ legis.wi.gov. You can also logon to the 9th Senate District online office at www.leibhamsenate.com.

It is an honor representing the residents of the 9th District in the state Senate.