Lycoming News

The Pennsylvania Senate has passed legislation aimed at reforming the state's vehicle emissions testing program. The new measures, supported by Senator Gene Yaw, propose to reduce the number of counties and vehicles subject to emissions testing.

"This common-sense reform will modernize Pennsylvania’s vehicle emissions program and provide significant cost savings for motorists in Lycoming County," stated Sen. Yaw. "I have heard from many of my constituents and I was pleased to support this legislation to make the emissions process more efficient and effective."

Currently, the federal Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program requires annual emissions testing in 25 counties across Pennsylvania. However, a study by the Joint State Government Commission suggests that removing seven counties from this requirement would not significantly affect federal air quality standards.

Senate Bill 35 proposes to exclude Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, and Westmoreland counties from the I/M program. Additionally, Senate Bill 149 seeks to exempt vehicles from the five most recent model years from these requirements. This move aligns Pennsylvania with other states in the Northeast Ozone Transport Region that have received EPA approval for similar exemptions.

The proposed bills will now be considered by the House of Representatives.

For further information on state-related matters, constituents are encouraged to visit Senator Yaw's website or follow him on social media platforms.