Lawmakers in Columbus are working to ease the e-Check auto emissions-testing program in seven of northeast Ohio’s counties.
However, passing a bill is no assurance that ending the program aimed at reducing air pollution would be able to go into effect, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would need to agree to any new arrangement first. It would be nearly impossible for the e-Check program to be eliminated altogether by Ohio lawmakers due to superseding federal EPA regulations.
The e-Check program, which was created in 1996, is an effort to test all vehicles four years old and older to ensure there is no malfunction in the car causing excessive carbon emissions. Identifying vehicles emitting excessive carbon emissions allows the government to require repairs to be made to the vehicle, resulting in it operating more efficiently. The cumulative effect, proponents say, is cleaner air for all to breathe. Critics of the program disagree and contend the program has made little to no impact on the air quality of northeast Ohio, pointing out that the real driver of air pollution is industrial exhaust.
Seven Ohio counties are required to participate in the e-Check program, all of which are located in northeast Ohio (Geauga, Cuyahoga, Lake, Summit, Medina, Lorain, and Portage)
Representative Bill Roemer (R, District 31) agrees with these critics and believes the e-Check program is outdated and unnecessary. He, along with Representative Steve Demetriou (R, District 35), have reintroduced House Bill 115, known as the “E-Check Ease Act”, allowing individual car owners to attest to the good condition of the operation of the car in a form they would fill out and submit to the Ohio EPA. While not fully eliminating the program, this approach is much easier and less expensive for each car owner.
The Ohio EPA is currently reviewing public comments on the proposal, and will conclude on Monday, June 2nd. Any recommendations they find appropriate will be submitted to the federal EPA for consideration. Current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has removed thirty-one regulations nationwide that are similar to the Ohio e-Check program.
